Adventure Sports Journal // June/July 2016 // Issue #91

Mono Hot Springs I SUP Events I MTB Triple Crowns I Event Profiles

June/July 2016 Issue #91

skyler

the surf dog

clean oceans international kayaking the rivers k kings, kaweah & kern

adventure in the lost sierra

PCT California

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Table of Contents

departments

8 10 12 14 30 32 34 36

Editor’s Note

The high cost of selling out

Inbox / Switchback

Readers sound off

Ear to the Ground

News & notes from the outdoor industry

EPiC

Clean Oceans International

Photo: Called To Creation

features

Photo: Sean Jansen

22 24 25

Photo: Darin McQuoid

26 28

Event Profiles

16 18 20

Event Calendar

DON’T MISS AN ISSUE – Subscribe to Adventure Sports Journal

Gear We Love

Goodies for an active lifestyle

SUP Events

Best of SUP for this season

A peek at some of California’s best upcoming events

Pro surfer Homer Henard and his celebrity dog

The Rivers K

Burly SoCal whitewater for serious kayakers

PCT California

A life-changing odyssey in the footsteps of John Muir

Mono Hot Springs

Exploring a mountain oasis

Headlands Brewing Co.

Endurance athlete Phil Cutti perfects craft beer

A Brave New Wild

A fun and intimate climbing film

Biking the Lost Sierra

EcoBikeAdventures’ guided power-assisted MTB rides

Triple Crown Summer

Exciting mountain bike race series

Cover Photo: The dog days of

summer as interpreted by Skyler and Homer while surfing in Santa Cruz.

Photo by Nelly.

Mail a check for $20 to PO Box 35, Santa Cruz, CA 95063 along with subscriber name and address, or order online at adventuresportsjournal.com/subscribe.

Events at a glance

4

Skyler the Surf Dog

2014

he road again 2014 2016 We’re hitting the road again s hottest events! atchances this summer’s hottest events! oth for by our booththe forroad chances We’re hitting We’re hitting the roadagain again r and Come getaways at this year’s best events! to win cool gear andhottest getaways at this summer’s events! sponsors!

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Come byour ourour booth for for chances 2014 in chance to win cool gear and to win cool gear and getaways ts! getaways from our sponsors. in from our sponsors! es ts!

We’re hitting the road again ays es at this summer’s hottest events!

6 ASJ — June/July 2016

JUNE & JULY EVENTS June 4 — Lost and Found, Lake Davis June 18 — Jay Race, Capitola June 17 - 19 — Carson City Off-Road, Carson City July 9 — Tour of the California Alps, Markleeville July 16 — Eppie’s Great Race, Sacramento Visit adventuresportsjournal.com for the full (and ever evolving) list of events!

asj contributors what adventures do you have on tap for this summer?

leoniesherman

White Mountain Traverse!

Five days above 12,000 feet cruising the ridge of the most westerly Basin and Range mountains.

Plus another forty or fifty days of alpine celebration.

havenlivingston

I’ll be seeking the balance between scorching summer heat and icy water while kayaking 290 miles down the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. The goal is to hike and explore as many wondrous side canyons as possible.

dougrobinson

I am tantalized by classic looking lines for moderate first ascents, each a long stroll deep into the Sierra backcountry.

nataliesmith

With my current case of the travel bug, I’ll be spending my summer in Scandinavia! Which will include studying in Lund, Sweden, working on an organic goat farm in Norway, and backpacking around Iceland.

davenelson

seanjansen

I’m going wake boarding with my family and on a surf safari with my daughter. I always go deep into Mexico for work every summer too.

That’s my home away from home ... I love it down there.

This summer is going to consist of a little bit of everything. Some time up in the Trinity Alps backpacking and trail running. Then a lot of time on the coast surfing as well!

mattniswonger

We are planning our second annual family backpacking trip in the Sierra and I am also training to climb a multi-pitch 5.7 called Corrugation Corner with my son Nils.

laurengregg

This summer I’m living in my converted Ford Transit van racing my mountain bike all over North America and seeking an endless adventure!

PUBLISHING + EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Cathy Claesson cathy@adventuresportsjournal.com EDITORIAL/MARKETING Matt Niswonger matt@adventuresportsjournal.com EDITORIAL/LAYOUT Michele Lamelin michele@adventuresportsjournal.com INTERNS Joe Spota and Natalie Smith CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Leonie Sherman, Haven Livingston, Doug Robinson, Natalie Smith, Sean Jansen, Matt Niswonger, Lauren Gregg, Derrick Peterman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Called To Creation, Ed Cooper, Brian Dorsey, Seth Dow, Jordan Clark Haggard, Stephen Hoefler, Jim Holm, Sean Jansen, Patricia Lieberg-Clark, Wayne Merry, Mark Moore, Dave “Nelly” Nelson, Derrick Peterman, Alexander Reinhard, Jason Shaimus, Leonie Sherman, Peter Spain Photography, Sam Stivers WEBMASTER Brooklyn Taylor brook@adventuresportsjournal.com ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Cathy Claesson I 831.234.0351 cathy@adventuresportsjournal.com EVENTS & DISTRIBUTION Matt Niswonger matt@adventuresportsjournal.com

All content © Adventure Sports Journal 2016. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the editors.

ADVENTURE SPORTS JOURNAL PO BOX 35 Santa Cruz, CA 95063 Phone 831.457.9453 asjstaff@adventuresportsjournal.com

PROUD MEMBER

EDITOR’S NOTE

Dreams

The high cost of selling out will be liable for the full cost of the rescue. Do you understand?

Me: Yes. YOSAR: Do you want a rescue?

Me: No, I do not.

YOSAR: Okay, if you change your mind call 911.

Me: Okay, thank you. Good-bye.

PHOTO Self-portrait of Matt Niswonger’s shadow and his hanging camp high on the east face of El Capitan in Yosemite during a solo ascent in 2002. Shortly afterwards he gave up on his dreams and was a shadow of his former self for nearly a decade.

I

n early November 2002 I was climbing the sheer east face of El Capitan in Yosemite. Safely tied to my hanging camp over one thousand feet high, this was day four of a six-day solo ascent. The route was called Zodiac and climbing it alone was a personal dream. A mile away, my wife Cathy was standing on the valley floor watching me through binoculars. In her arms she held our baby son Nils. She could tell something was wrong so she pulled out her phone and called me. “I’m out of water,” I explained.

“Okay, so what do you want me to do?” she asked after a long pause.

“I want you to call YOSAR, or go talk to them in person. Tell them I will pay someone to hike to the top of the cliff and lower down two gallons of water using ropes. Tell them I’m on Zodiac and I’m 600 feet from the top.” The wind was gusting so I wasn’t sure she’d heard me.

YOSAR is a common acronym for the elite team of search and rescue personnel that operate in Yosemite Valley, AKA Yosemite Search and Rescue.

My situation was dire but not desperate.

In my mind I thought I could grind out an eighteen-hour push and make it to the top without water. But I wasn’t positive.

The other option was to reverse course but this seemed enormously daunting given all the overhanging and sideways climbing I had completed in the previous

four days. I wasn’t exactly sure of my next move so I just laid down on my portable ledge and rested.

My phone rang an hour later and a breathless Cathy told me that YOSAR wasn’t happy with my request and I should call them immediately at their non-emergency number. Here’s how the phone call went: YOSAR: This is John Dill.

Me: Hello, this is Matt Niswonger calling you from Zodiac.

YOSAR: What’s your situation?

Me: I drank water about eight hours ago and I’m still two days from the top with no water left.

YOSAR: What’s your plan?

Me: I dunno, I was hoping you could send someone to the top and lower down a couple of gallons? My wife is in the Valley and she will happily pay that person $200. Sound good?

YOSAR: Negative, Mr. Niswonger. I need to ask you a question and I need a yes or no answer. Do you need a rescue?

Me: Like a full-on rescue with helicopters?

YOSAR: Yes, we only do one kind of rescue and that is the “full-on” kind.

If we rescue you it will most likely be categorized as “failure to plan” because you didn’t bring enough water and you

Laying in my portable ledge I stared up at the sky. All of a sudden the reality of my situation hit home. Like a slap to the face it occurred to me that my dream of soloing El Cap was turning into a nightmare.

I looked at the beautiful meadows far below me on the valley floor. I was pretty sure that one of the tiny specks I could see was my wife and newborn son. I had a family now, for God’s sake. What kind of a father rolls the dice like this?

“I’m sorry Nils!” I yelled into space, even though no one could hear me. “Your father is a completely selfish A-hole who will spend the next 24 hours fighting for his life and drinking his own urine.

Welcome to your family!”

A few minutes later Cathy called. Good news. She met some climbers in the Valley who agreed to lower water to me on a series of ropes tied together. I was saved.

About thirty hours later I made it to the top of El Capitan and met my brother-inlaw who was waiting with more water.

I was very happy to see him and also very somber. Earlier that day I had made a vow. I was done with the adventure lifestyle. Moving forward I was going to get serious and earn a paycheck – a big paycheck with awesome benefits for my family. It was time to grow up and get a real job. So that’s what I did.

Fast forward ten years.

A decade later I was sitting in a professional development seminar and dealing with the fact that I had lost my high paying job. About a hundred other participants were also dealing with career and relationship issues and the purpose of the seminar was to help people feel more powerful in their lives.

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Suddenly I was struck by an insight.

The vow I made on El Cap to “grow up and get a real job” was a mistake. The problem wasn’t just that I had turned my back on climbing which was an activity I loved. What I actually did that day was completely sell out and turn my back on my own happiness.

Regardless of how noble I thought I was being, what I actually decided that day on El Capitan was to create a hollow life where I would sacrifice my own happiness for my children. I was moved to tears when I realized what a mistake I had made when I decided that good parents must be martyrs for their kids.

My kids never asked me to make that decision. My wife never asked me to make that decision. But it had an impact on our lives every day for a decade.

So that day, sitting in the seminar, I unmade the vow I had made on El Capitan ten years earlier. In doing so I chose happiness for myself and for my family and this happiness has been growing stronger like a healthy vine ever since, restoring me to a more powerful version of myself.

Moving forward I have no regrets. I learned an amazing lesson on El Capitan: Never turn your back on your dreams.

Here is a poem about dreams by Langston Hughes:

Dreams Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

Welcome to issue #91 ... our annual water issue. I hope you agree it’s packed with authentic wall-to-wall adventure.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to send comments to matt@ adventuresportsjournal.com or share your thoughts when we post this on our website.

— Matt Niswonger

INBOX

Fan mail, feedback, ideas & opinions Cover Choice

These were our top three cover choices. Did we get it right? Let us know on our Switchback page!

Photo of whitewater kayaker by Darin McQuoid. Skyler the Surf Dog photos by Nelly.

Letters to the Editor

In response to “A Surfer Girl” in ASJ #90

GROW UP read your editorial in ASJ yesterday. I’m so sorry that you had to deal with that experience with your daughter. I know that she’ll bounce back some day from it though! It’s just a temporary setback.

I just wanted to comment that I think that what you went through is unfortunately all too common. For some reason surfers in the water, old and young, have a very entitled attitude.

There is no forgiveness or forbearance, or even sharing. This man that you got into a confrontation with could clearly have taking multiple different approaches. He could have: — avoided the low-speed collision in the first place instead of choosing to remain on a collision course with a young girl. ­­— shrugged it off, smiled, and went on his way, perhaps understanding that he didn’t want to frighten a young girl. ­— he could have spoken to you with a bit more humanity rather than demand an apology.

— in view that there was a child present, he could have just moved on his way rather than escalating the conflict, even when he thought he was in the right.

The above are some of the things that actual adults do in their daily life. Every minor conflict doesn’t have to be a fight.

I don’t know why surfers who are old enough to know better carry on with their terrible attitudes. They really do know better, and set a terrible example for all the kids in the water. I’ve even seen this behavior from local celebrity surfers who are supposed to be pillars of the surfing community. It’s a facade as far as I’ve been able to tell. Sociopathic behavior is the norm and accepted.

After 20 years of surfing in this area I’ve stopped surfing, and have no desire to even teach my kids to surf. It’s a beautiful sport, but just has way more negatives than positives at this point.

I just wanted to pass a little empathy and encouragement your way. I hope you and your daughter continue to have great adventures, and find your own path to some shared happiness in the water.

—Matt S.

I

GUTSY GIRL AND EXTREME MARINE just read your letter in Adventure Sports Journal about your daughter and surfing.

My name is Jackie Nunez, the founder of the The Last Plastic Straw movement (thelastplasticstraw.org) – a volunteer project for Save Our Shores. I am a traveler and former river guide and I am currently a kayak guide for Blue water Ventures in Santa Cruz.

I wanted to give you a couple of suggestions beyond our great Junior Guards program this summer. Another idea for summer ocean based camp experiences for your daughter in the future could be Blue Water Ventures “Extreme Marine” Camp.

Also, a great book for young girls is The Gutsy Girl. I think this book will entertain and empower your daughter, and help her navigate growing up in Santa Cruz and have some fun in the lineup. It is written by my talented and gutsy friends Caroline Paul and Wendy MacNaughton.

Anyway, I just wanted to share some more possibilities for your daughter. ­—Jackie N.

I

OTHER OPTIONS t was a tough call to move away from Santa Cruz three years ago. But the expense, the attitudes in the water, and the fact that it costs way too much for the actual quality of life you get in return, made it a bit easier.

Sometimes I think the fact that I got back into surfing after taking a break from the attitude for about 15 years, had a lot to do with the ease of moving on from that town. Too many people fighting for too little space at too high a cost. It would be nice if the adults of SC began to act like adults, instead of teaching their kids to be jerks on down the line ... but that attitude hasn’t changed since I first encountered it in the 80s. I don’t really think it ever will change.

There are many, many places to be close to nature, eat organic food, and be around nice people. If being in the ocean isn’t fun because of the people, why pay for access to it through high cost of living? Go to a cheaper place with warm water to surf for vacation, and spend the rest of your time being around nice people and NOT stressing about your ridiculous mortgage. ­—Dawn W.

I

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SWITCHBACK

ASJ readers sound off Should kids be participating in certain high risk outdoor sports? What are your thoughts about “The Dying Game” in issue #90?

F

inally a much needed voice cautioning against today’s extreme practices and the real risks that they represent. In most of those breath-taking videos we are generally shown the footages of successful attempts only, ignoring those multiples of attempts that resulted in failures and, sometimes very serious injuries. Such selective showing gives the absolute wrong ideas to the upcoming young generations, giving them a completely false sense of security. ­—Allen

I

11 MILES IN, YOUR FEET ARE SCREAMING,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

only agree to a certain point: I think risks should, if at all, be taken consciously, something that is missing when people are pressured into extreme sports in some communities. In that sense, the discussion this group is leading is important. However, I don’t think getting old is inherently better than dying young. We all have different values and opinions about death and life – there is no “better” way to think about death, just different ways, and they are all deeply personal. I don’t think anybody, except perhaps parents of young children, has an “obligation” to stay alive for the sake of their friends and family. —Marcus

I

am 62 and generally ski 80+ days a year. I am grateful every morning for the gift of life. It saddens me that so many young people do not seem to “get” what a precious gift life is. May you all live long and prosper. —Mike

T

hat big hero ego, pat on the back for doing something insane. It doesn’t hold it in the long run. It takes age to know these words to be true. As you get older things change, you might even hide from a pat on the back. Its all about life and doing well in it. ­—Anon

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ots of deaths, lots of life changing injuries and too many athletes saying, “watch this.” All for what? It happens daily at Squaw when the Palisades are open on powder days! It is the same belief that smokers have about lung disease and cancer ... “it won’t happen to me.” Well, the ones that have not been buried cruise Tahoe in wheelchairs, rack up endless medical bills and place a huge burden on family and friends who stand in there because that is what we do! Think about all the children who have no idea why their parent is no longer around because they pushed one centimeter too far! Best to be like a jewel thief who retires before he gets caught! —Paul

S

TRUE TO THE TRAIL

10 ASJ — June/July 2016

ociety will always have people “at the edge” of what is possible. This is how we grow. Everyone’s “edge” is different.

For some it might be a breakthrough in immunology and others, travel in space.

For us as individuals the trick is to find our own edge. Our challenge as a collective is to not have everyone rushing to the same cliff. Safe travels —Shawn

R

eally hard to take peoples’ views on this seriously if they don’t get off on steeps, cliffs, etc. Skiing and other risky sports are so addicting, and “normal” people will never get that. Robb Gaffney is the perfect guy to research this, but I doubt much will change because these sports are more addicting than crack when big risks are thrown in. ­—Kevin

S

o many of my hang gliding and ski friends gone, leaving family and friends behind way too early ... and yep you’re right, most of it from stupid “Extreme” decisions. Kids don’t even know the meaning of Russian roulette anymore.

Teach your kids the difference between balls and “dumbf*ck” and chances are you will be able to enjoy this beautiful world with them and their kids after that.

—Gilles L. and Anita B.

H

ow do you train youth for any career in a professional sport? There are risks for a professional athlete, but many youth are gifted and excel in some outdoor challenges, and with the right training and conditioning move on to careers as Navy Seals or other outdoor responder positions that require focus, conditioned training for top physical performance, and the ability to meet challenges in extreme conditions.

All training during formative years should be done while using the safest equipment and procedures as possible, but there can be risks in any endeavor. I believe the key is to teach youth the negatives as well as positives, but if an individual grows up to want to train to compete in an extreme game, would it make a difference if they were sponsored or not? Wouldn’t they always try to climb the mountain because it is there? —Pamela V.

T

here is a bit more to this problem though. The normalization of extreme risk taking is, on the one hand, a problem. People certainly take unnecessary risks simply for the sake of being an exhibitionist. And that is definitely enhanced, across various levels of risk takers, by the examples the article gave. On the other hand, our risk taking celebrities serve an important cultural function. They maintain an archetype that people use as their own vehicle of self-discovery. It would be tragic to turn them into martyrs in order to eliminate the celebration of risk taking in favor of being extraordinarily conservative. There is a good balance to strike. The extremes should definitely not be celebrated as normal. But let’s not downplay the contribution that extreme risk takers contribute to the imagination and aspirations of the regular person. The paradigm definitely needs a dramatic shift in the opposite direction though. Sweet article. —Todd L

NEXT SWITCHBACK QUESTION: Are some outdoor sports not worth the risk?

Which ones? adventuresportsjournal. com/switchback

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EAR TO THE GROUND

Bear Valley Introduces Adventure Park and Free Shuttle Service to Lake Alpine IMBA and STC Join Forces The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and the Sustainable Trails Coalition (STC) recently announced a partnership agreement that emphasizes the importance of a collective voice in support of trail stewardship and improved mountain bike access. While the two organizations remain distinct, with different approaches to bicycle access in federally managed Wilderness areas, they report great respect for one another and urge mountain bikers to get engaged in each group’s separate missions and advocacy efforts.

The organizations point out that although they are alike in their desire for a united and stronger collective voice

amongst mountain bikers, they each have different governance and mission strategies. IMBA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is legally limited in its ability to directly lobby elected officials. IMBA’s approach will continue to emphasize building partnerships and promoting bike-friendly management policies for all forms of land protection. The STC is organized as a 501(c)(4), which allows it to spend all of its money on directly lobbying for legislative remedies in Congress. The group will continue to focus on creating a political framework that will result in enhanced bike access and better trail maintenance measures in Wilderness and other natural areas.

Learn more at imba.com and sustainabletrailscoalition.org.

Bear Valley family fun continues this summer with its Adventure Park, offering fun activities, games and swimming, and free shuttle service to Lake Alpine.

Hosted at Bear Valley Village nestled among the towering pine trees, the Adventure Park will feature a bungee jump, a ropes course, a rock climbing wall, a swimming pool, and a variety of fun family games for all ages.

There will also be free shuttle service between Bear Valley and Lake Alpine, a scenic reservoir covering 180 acres located just minutes from the Bear Valley Lodge. The shuttle service will include a trailer to accommodate bikes, kayaks, and stand up paddle boards.

The Adventure Park and shuttle service will run from June 25-September 5.

Learn more at bearvalley.com.

ParkWatchReport Allows Outdoor Enthusiasts to Report Concerns Directly to Land Managers The ParkWatch website in its original form was developed by a group of volunteers in the Sierra foothills after a tragic accident.

In 2008 a fence that separated private property from a public park was cut and went unreported. A group of motorcycle riders entered the park through the cut fence and rode on to horse trail. As a result, two equestrians were severely injured, one horse went missing and one horse was killed.

The tragedy was first attributed to trail user conflict but the blame shifted quickly to the disconnect that existed between park visitors and park management. The cut in the fence was well known but was it a problem to be solved by California State Parks, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the City, the County or the private property owner? No one knew, and this was the problem.

With the core problem identified the

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ParkWatch website set about collecting reports from park visitors, building a database and keeping park management informed. In the years that followed over 600 reports were submitted to ParkWatch and the response from park management was all positive.

As technology has changed and smart phones have become the norm, ParkWatch has changed too. In 2014 the software received a major update, a phone app was added and a national network of parks became possible. A new name was assigned – ParkWatchReport – and it was incorporated in California as Park Watch Report, LLC. Park rangers, wardens and superintendents urge the public to be their “eyes and ears” and to use ParkWatchReport to alert them of circumstances and conditions that pose a concern. If you love our wonderful system of parks, trails and open spaces that have been reserved for recreation and preservation, then ParkWatchReport is your ticket to the ultimate in stewardship.

Call 911 for emergencies and use ParkWatchReport for everything else.

Learn more at parkwatchreport.com, like them on Facebook at facebook. com/parkwatchreportllc and download the free ParkWatchReport phone app at Google Play or the Apple Store.

Surfing Localism Instigates Lawsuit A class-action lawsuit has been filed by the Coastal Protection Rangers and two surfers against a group of Palos Verdes, CA residents, known as the Bay Boys, who have been accused of claiming the waves of Lunada Bay as their own.

Surfing localism, which occurs when surfers are involved in verbal or physical threats or abuse to deter people from surfing at certain surf spots, has been an ongoing problem in this exclusive Southern California community.

Eight surfers, mostly middle-aged men, have been named in the suit, and according to Vic Otten, one of the attorneys bringing the lawsuit, dozens more are expected to be added.

They hope to bar the Bay Boys from congregating at Lunada Bay. The area’s negative reputation and the alleged intimidation by locals have kept most outsiders away, despite vows from Palos Verdes Chief of Police, Jeff Kepley, to end localism. Those accused have countered that there is no organized effort to exclude any surfers and that any conflict is simply due to irresponsibility and inexperience on the part of the outsiders.

New Transatlantic Sailing Record set by Skip Allan and Crew In early May five intrepid sailors aboard the 70-foot sailboat Phaedo3 sprinted alone from Bermuda to Plymouth England in five days, 11 hours and 27 minutes, besting the old 2,870-nautical mile Transatlantic record by more than eight days and 18 hours. Imagine bouncing around off-road in the back of a pickup truck with four friends at 45 mph for five and a half days with fire hoses being pointed at you while trying to eat, sleep, and keep the rig upright. That’s similar to what the crew of the Phaedo3 endured to set the new record.

Stay tuned for Paul “Skip” Allan’s firsthand account of the arduous journey in an upcoming issue of ASJ.

Mermaid Series Owner Goes to Sea for The Great Pacific Race More humans have been to space than have rowed across the Pacific – as in 2,400 miles from Monterey, CA to Honolulu, HI. Powered by just their own bodies, self supported and in a 24-foot long and six-foot wide rowing boat, crews will test their limits on June 4 in The Great Pacific Race. The team will row in pairs and their daily routine will be two hours rowing and two hours sleeping for 24 hours a day.

California-born Carlo Facchino will attempt this incredible adventure as part of the four person crew “Uniting Nations.” As the owner of the Mermaid Series women’s triathlons, Facchino has helped inspire thousands of women to experience the hard work and joy of crossing the finish line by competing in triathlons and running races.

As an experienced rower, cyclist and ultra runner Facchino is excited to put his love for endurance competition to the test by spending 40 days in a row boat with three other teammates.

ASJ readers can expect continuing coverage in the next issue.

Learn more about the Mermaid Series at mermaidseries.com and The Great

www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 1 3

EPiC: Environmental Partnership Campaign

Clean Oceans International One man’s quest to save the sea

By Leonie Sherman

“I

’m probably at the age where I should be retired,” says Jim Holm, founder of Clean Oceans International. He glances out his office window at the bustling Santa Cruz Harbor. “Instead I’m just really tired.”

Thirty-five years as a boat captain will tire anyone out. But Holm – everyone calls him Captain Homer – isn’t tired from sailing the world.

He’s tired because four years ago he started a non-profit called Clean Oceans International with the simple goal of cleaning up all the trash floating around in the world’s oceans. National Geographic estimates that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris out there.

“I was working on this boat called the 2041, with a Brit named Robert Swan,” Captain Homer explains. 2041 is the date that the international moratorium on oil and mineral exploration in Antarctica expires, and Swan was trying to raise awareness to make that ban permanent. They got stuck in Panama, waiting for a a hurricane to pass. One day they took a break from boat repairs and swam to a tiny nearby island.

“We were shocked to find that whole island completely covered in trash,” Homer says. “And I immediately recognized that it was mine. I’m a well-off white boy in a civilized world, and we caused this. We embrace convenience and it’s crushing us.”

Captain Homer pauses. “I had a responsibility to see what I could do about it.”

Having already reached tens of thousands of people with marine education programs, he was uniquely suited to make an impact. In 1996 he set up the curriculum for O’Neill’s Sea Odyssey, a living classroom aboard a 65-foot catamaran plying

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the waters of the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. Since then, the award-winning program has educated over 80,000 grade school students about marine conservation. Eight years later he started a program aboard another 65-foot research vessel, this time for the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

“We called it Science Under Sail,” Homer explains. “We took folks for a three hour tour and would just talk about whatever we saw. We’d see seals, sea otters, kelp ... and trash.” He shakes his head. “So we started talking about trash.

And pretty soon that became ‘plastics overboard.’” He grows animated as he explains. “Whenever someone saw trash they would cry out ‘plastic overboard!’ and we’d treat it like a person had fallen overboard. We would maneuver the boat

PHOTOS Main image: Cabrillo Oceanography students starting their shoreline debris survey (Patricia Lieberg-Clark). Above: Micro debris survey with Homer and students (Patricia Lieberg-Clark).

Circle: Homer with the Plastic to Fuel machine (David Schwartz). Opposite page, clockwise from top: Beach trash pile (Jim Holm); Colored plastic from a clean up at Albany Beach on the San Francisco Bay’s eastern shore (Jim Holm); Plastic to Fuel machine inside the mobile research lab at Cabrillo College (Jim Holm).

around and passengers would handle the net and scoop up the trash,” Captain Homer beams.

Letters of praise flooded the aquarium.

“People really want to understand what’s going on and be part of the solution,” explains Homer. “We weren’t creating entertainment out there, some kind of a marine Disneyland. We created a real life research experience. I think people like that more than being entertained.”

His next project was aboard 2041 with Robert Swan. After his epiphany off the coast of Panama, he returned to California with newfound zeal. Captain Homer and some friends started the Clean Oceans Project in 2009. “Our intention was to clean up all the trash floating around in the world’s oceans.”

Newsweek magazine estimates all that debris weighs about 270,000 tons. “Our plan was too grandiose, we found it impossible to raise the necessary funds,” explains Homer. “In 2012, everyone went home, except for me.”

He redirected his energy towards his area of expertise: education. In the past four years, under the name Clean Oceans International, Captain Homer has established flourishing relationships with students at Cabrillo College and UC Santa Cruz. “We give them the opportunity and motivation to take action about the enormous problems facing our world’s oceans today,” Captain Homer says.

“Homer has been doing guest lectures for Oceanography classes eight semesters now,” says David Schwartz, the department chair of Geology, Oceanography and Environmental Science at Cabrillo. “They’re great, engaging lectures and have inspired students to do a lot of tabling around town, raising awareness about these issues.”

“As Homer networks with other groups around the world, we’ve started doing expeditions that include our students,” explains Schwartz. “In May of 2014, we traveled to tiny Montague Island in Alaska’s Prince William. In just under five

“I’m a well-off white boy in a civilized world, and we caused this. We embrace convenience and it’s crushing us. I had a responsibility to see what I could do about it.”

days, Homer and five students collected 20 tons of trash.” That effort was overseen by the Gulf of Alaska Keeper, who haul the debris away by helicopter, put it on a barge to Seattle and then sort, reuse and recycle as much of it as possible.

In January 2016, they took eight students to Hawaii for eleven days, where they did beach clean ups and toured a waste management plant that incinerates trash to produce energy. “That facility provides 8-10% of the energy on Oahu,” explains Schwartz.

Which dovetails neatly with Homer’s driving passion. In addition to inspiring the next generation of stewards and cleaning up beaches all over the world, Captain Homer thinks he has figured out how to convert all that plastic debris into a valuable commodity. “Previously even if we got trash out of the oceans, all we could do was get it to shore and put it into the waste management system. But we are working on a system that will convert that plastic trash to diesel fuel,” Homer explains. “We are turning our waste products into an economic benefit.”

Homer claims the process is quite simple: you heat trash until it vaporizes and then cool it until it condenses into liquid fuel. With the assistance of UCSC students, Homer is working hard to perfect the machinery that powers this conversion, currently housed in a trailer on the community college campus. They need to understand the true energy input to determine how energy efficient the process might be. They’re hoping to perfect the technique and then begin marketing it.

Ultimately they might be able to power a boat touring the Pacific Gyre, where the world’s biggest mass of floating plastic debris concentrates, and power the boat with the trash they pick up. That’s the vision they are working towards. For now they keep their focus on reducing the trash that winds up in the oceans, and converting the waste into something useful. “We are transforming a nuisance disposal issue into a resource recovery opportunity,” explains Homer. “Of course, funding is always an issue, but there’s a tremendous amount of motivation to do this.”

Now over 60 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down. He just got back from a two-week expedition to Brazil and plans to get married later this year. He still finds time for daily maintenance on his equipment at Cabrillo. People marvel at his tireless devotion to our planet’s oceans. “Ultimately we are a nation of consumers, and that’s what is driving the plastic problem,” he explains. “At the same time, giving up is not an option, no matter how overwhelming the problem appears. So I ask myself, each day, how can I make the biggest difference?”

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Skyler the Surf Dog

Pro surfer Homer Henard contemplates life as a celebrity dog handler Words by Natalie Smith • Photos by Nelly

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anta Cruz pro surfer Homer Henard has been joining the lineup lately with the surfing K-9 Skyler, his trusty Queensland Heeler. Skyler has been gaining popularity in the Santa Cruz area, making appearances in the newsfeeds of many local surfers and beachgoers.

Recently long time ASJ contributor Dave “Nelly” Nelson has been teaming up with the duo for photos and at least one top secret project that could raise Skyler’s visibility significantly beyond the surfing crowd. Stay tuned.

With just under 2,000 followers on Instagram, Homer considers Skyler’s talent to still be under the radar, but we don’t doubt that she is on her way to gaining ultracelebrity dog status with what the pair have in store for the coming months. As Homer puts it, “Sky’s the limit!” for his pup. And it’s not just surfing the dynamic duo are stoked about – they have a number of great causes they are taking head on. Recently involved with non-profit surf organizations Operation Surf and Waves of Impact, Homer and Skyler’s enthusiasm in making the world a brighter place is a source of inspiration to all of us adventure sports lovers, and an important reminder that our outlets in the outdoors can be a medium to bring people together in support of a good cause.

ASJ intern Natalie Smith recently caught up with Homer to discuss Skyler’s success thus far, and gain some insight into what we can look forward to from the unstoppable pair in the coming months.

ASJ When did Skyler first come into your life?

HH My Dad surprised me with Skyler when she was

a puppy. He found her in Turlock on a ranch where her mother and father were working cattle dogs. She came into my life at only five weeks old. Skyler is now five years old and charging.

ASJ How did you discover that Skyler was a natural

surfer?

HH

One summer day, I brought Skyler down to the harbor and she ran up and jumped straight onto my stand up paddle board showcasing her balance skills.

Right then I knew it was on since she was a natural!

Next adventure, I took her out surfing on a small day

and she just loved it. After that there was no turning back. Skyler was not like other dogs – she always wanted to do whatever I was doing. She actually thinks she is human. Instead of playing with the other dogs, she would post up with the boys. Skyler is always frothing to get out there and surf with me which is actually funny because she doesn’t like swimming in the water very much. When I turn the garden hose on she runs away, but when I set our surfboard in the water she runs up and jumps straight on it, just like that first day. It is really special surfing and bonding out there with her.

She really has implicit trust in me that I am not going to let anything happen to her. I am always right there to swoop her back onto the surfboard. She will run up to the nose of the surfboard with her tongue out ready to catch another wave.

ASJ

Explain how this whole thing blew up on Facebook and Instagram?

HH

I actually do not think she really has blown up yet on Facebook or Instagram. She is still virtually underground, she only has 1,800 followers on Instagram, which is nothing in reality. Some of the other surf dogs have millions of followers! I am sure all of this will change in the next couple months. Surfing Magazine posted a great picture of Skyler surfing a big wave out at middle peak Steamers Lane captioned “Biggest Wave Ever Ridden by a Dog.” They said she was the winner of the K-9 XXL award…

ASJ What’s next for Homer and Skyler?

HH Who knows what the future holds for Skyler the

surfing dog. At the moment we are working on a couple cool projects. Stay tuned and keep your eyes peeled – expect big things! Basically Skyler and I are just out there trying to spread positive vibes and put a smile on people’s faces. Skyler has taught me to not take life too seriously, smile and have fun. We are definitely breaking down barriers and pushing the limits in dog surfing. We are actually working towards getting barreled which is going to happen soon. We also have been getting involved with organizations in the community like Waves of Impact who help kids facing exceptional challenges

get in the water and ride PHOTOS waves. Utilizing Skyler as Main image: Conditions came an amazing service dog together perfectly for this puts a smile on kids’ faces postcard quality photo of Homer and shows them how to and Skyler with the Santa Cruz feel more comfortable Boardwalk in the background. in the water. They see Above: Close up of Skyler as Skyler out there and say, Homer paddles back to the lineup. Below: Typical activities “Hey that dog is surfing for Skyler include playing catch out here, so I can do it, and checking the surf. too.” Recently we were involved with Operation Surf. We got to surf with wounded war heroes who fight for our freedoms. It was such an inspirational week seeing the determination and the stoke that these wounded warriors get from riding waves. Operation Surf shows that the ocean is not just a beautiful place to play but an opportunity for healing.

ASJ

Do you have any advice for other surfers who are looking to teach their dogs to surf? What surf conditions and lineups are not appropriate for surf dogs?

HH

My advice for other surfers wanting to take their dogs surfing is safety first, know your limits, and your dog’s limits too. I advise buying a doggy life vest and really if you want to take your pet out, do it on a really small day to start off and make sure you are confident in your own ocean skills as well. You can’t make your dog surf; basically he or she is either going to be into it or not. So try to ensure that your dog’s first ocean experience is a good one. Have fun and good luck!

Interested in keeping up with Skyler? Check her out on Instagram @skylerthesurfingdog.

16 ASJ ASJ—June/July — June/July 2012 2016

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The Rivers K Steeped in history, the Kings, Kaweah and Kern Rivers offer burly whitewater for serious kayakers

By Haven Livingston

A

s a healthy snowpack begins to pour from the mountains, southern Sierra rivers that have been largely forgotten over the past four years of drought are shining once again – a glorious sight in the eyes of California’s growing population of whitewater paddlers.

The Kings, Kaweah and Kern Rivers (from north to south) represent the three largest drainages in Southern California’s Tulare Basin and all originate in or near Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. The sister rivers each present unique personalities to kayakers that reveal themselves through their whitewater opportunities.

By fact of latitude, days on these rivers are warmer than their northern cousins. South facing slopes are increasingly adorned with agave as opposed to evergreens as you travel south. While paddlers on the Yuba and American River drainages are in drysuits, SoCal paddlers will be in shorts and searching for ice for their cocktail at the end of the day. Their patrons are a smaller and dedicated crew of locals punctuated by a few northern kayakers venturing south one or two weekends per year.

The Rivers K all have commercially rafted reaches that are easily accessible to Southern California, but for the private kayaker or rafter, they offer more challenging adventures to be explored during their spring and early summer seasons. All three rivers meet their end with a maze of dams and diversions, quenching agricultural fields and sprawling cities, but until they do, they are as wild and free as the boaters who ride them.

“The sister rivers each present unique personalities to kayakers that reveal themselves through their whitewater opportunities.”

18 ASJ — June/July 2016

Kings River While its name has nothing to do with kayaking, the Kings River watershed is home to royalty in the whitewater world and is decidedly the alpha of the three. In 1982, famed climber Royal Robbins made the first kayak descent of the Middle Kings River along with Doug Tompkins, Reg Lake and Neusom Holmes. This would be the final run of their first descents triplecrown mission – of which they had already hiked over the 13,777-foot Whitney Pass to descend the Kern River in 1981 and down Devil’s Postpile on the San Joaquin in 1980. The Middle Kings would be the largest and steepest of the three runs and today it has come to be known as the pinnacle of expedition kayaking in the US. Dinkey Creek, a tributary that joins with the North Fork Kings, is arguably the best whitewater run in California and farther downstream, Garlic Falls is a classic California class V with outstanding scenery.

Class V aside, most people come for the lower Kings class III Banzai run. This run has the whole package.

Free riverside camping and a forgiving layout (with the option to skip the biggest rapid at the put-in), make the long circuitous drive to get there well worth it. It is the perfect run for class II paddlers ready to make the move into class III. That said, it should still be taken seriously and professional kayak instruction is always the best move when upping your game as a kayaker.

Best bet for families: Bring mountain bikes and a Dutch oven for a full on camp-out weekend. Raft Banzai with a commercial company one or both days and pedal off into the foothills in the afternoon to enjoy the hills golden with poppies.

Kaweah River Spilling through the town of Three Rivers, the Kaweah is the runt of the rivers and makes up for its small size with manic punches of steep terrain. The Middle Fork’s Boundary/Gateway Run is the only easy-moderate run and is the bread and butter of the Kaweah’s options.

Beginning just inside the park entrance, this run starts off with a 15-foot vertical drop over an old dam and is non-stop class IV action for the next couple of miles. As the rapids begin to space apart, the calm pools drift past

patios of restaurants in PHOTOS town where diners cheer Main image: Phil Boyer on paddlers with beers and braces for the punch on ice cream cones in hand, V-Slide rapid, Middle Kaweah making you feel like you (Seth Dow). Above: Rolf Kelly really are a rock star out on a great white slide on the there.

Kings River (Darin McQuoid).

Circle: Launchpad from the Upstream from Boundary Middle Fork Kings River (Darin is Hospital Rock, which, McQuiod). along with the East Fork, packs the highest flying class V punches with violent rapids and waterfalls of all the reaches. Though Hospital Rock is an experts-only run, anyone can walk to the first few rapids and watch the heavy hitters make the big drops.

One of the best wilderness adventure runs in the Kaweah watershed is the Upper North Fork. Type 2 fun begins with shouldering your boat and hiking four miles upstream past hillsides of sweet-scented wildflowers.

For a class IV kayaker this run offers a scaled down introduction to the classic granite slides and waterfalls of the high Sierra in a low Sierra setting.

Best bet for intermediate-advanced kayakers: Run Boundary/Gateway the first day. First thing the next morning, hike into the Upper North Fork. Give yourself plenty of time to ogle the wildflowers on the way in (best in April) and bring a water filter; you’ll pass one stream along the hot hike. All of these runs on the Kaweah flow naturally so watch the gauges to catch the flow.

Running Tunnel Chute on the Middle Fork of the American River with O.A.R.S. combines high adrenaline and good times with friends into a refreshing summer adventure.

PHOTOS

Kern River East of Bakersfield, the Kern River is the wise old friend with long tales to tell along its course. The Kern is the most infrequently run of these three rivers and though it used to support a burgeoning rafting community, the scene has dwindled in the drought years. After many years of the annual Kern River Festival being put on hold for drought, it was rejuvenated this April and the river saw its people return to celebrate its waters with friendly flows on easy stretches for all levels.

Some of the flows on the Kern are controlled by dam release and most are easily accessible road side. The tributaries boast some of the most scenic and exciting runs, like Dry Meadow Creek with its infamous “tea cup” waterfall drops and Brush Creek with its class III waterfall drop and slides. These rely on scant snow melt and are long gone by late spring, if they run at all.

Clockwise from top: Hiking in to Upper North Fork Kaweah (Darin McQuoid); Daniel Brasuell catches air between tea cups on Dry Meadow Creek, tributary to the Kern River (Darin McQuoid); Jeff Wheeler enjoying perfect conditions on Clover Creek, tributary to the Kaweah River (Darin McQuoid).

The same goes for the classic off-thebeaten-path run, Forks of the Kern on the North Fork. The Forks run is a backcountry adventure that begins with a couple miles of hiking in, views of the granite Needles, and 14.5 miles of anywhere from class IV to V and portages depending on flows. The Kern is long and has a lot to offer; it’s just all about catching it at the right time.

Best bet for everyone: The Kern Festival is held in mid-April pending run-off, so as long as flows cooperate, it offers something for everyone. Events include extreme slalom and downriver races on Brush Creek, a triathlon, class II citizen slalom race for kayaks and SUP, sidewalk art contest and a build-your-own crazy craft parade.

If you miss the festival, there are still commercial rafting trips and private trips are better off starting earlier in the season.

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www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 1 9

PCT California A life-changing journey in the footsteps of John Muir Words and photos by Sean Jansen

W

alking the California section of the Pacific Crest Trail was never meant to be a vacation. It was never a sojourn, journey, trip, excursion, or trek. It was simply a dream. I had to do it. After years of surfing, my interest in riding waves started to decrease while the number of surfers at my favorite break did the opposite.

I needed something different.

Even traveling around the world didn’t seem exciting any more. I was antsy. I was thirsty for experience, but I wasn’t sure where to find it. I needed to break free of my rhythms and comforts and find my edge. And when a friend reminded me of the PCT, I couldn’t think of anything better than to spend up to 150 consecutive nights in a sleeping bag. In a word, change was what I was looking for.

Change came as different landscapes, but more importantly, I changed. And to say the trail changed me is an understatement. Change inside, change outside, change in appearance. Change emotionally, physically, and mentally. If there is a single word to describe the trail, it is, “Change.” The trail changes you as much as it changes elevation. And in looking at the total

20 ASJ — June/July 2016

elevation gain and loss throughout the trail, something life altering was bound to happen.

There is something very special to be said about what it takes to wake up feeling like you got kicked in the face by a horse after a day that gave you six new blisters, a sun burnt forehead, and a headache reminiscent of a hangover but without the alcohol. Watching the sunrise in Southern California surrounded by Joshua trees is a stark beauty I will always associate with the stress that comes with not getting up early enough because the sun during midday wants to roast you alive.

PHOTOS Opposite page, clockwise: Stunning scenery near Tahoe; Nature’s sofa at 9,000 feet overlooking Highway 10; Sunset at a trout-laden lake. Above, clockwise: Sunrise pot of gold; Forester Pass on the John Muir Trail at 13,200 feet; Profusion of wildflowers at Dicks Pass near Tahoe.

casual pace turned into marathons and the occasional ultra.

The Northern California section turned out to be a highlight, despite the fact that it wasn’t as aesthetically powerful as the central Sierra. During this section I met some of the most incredible humans that I still call friends to this day. Having the ability to share 20-mile days through some gorgeous terrain made the rest of the trail fly. Some of my fondest memories of the entire trip are from the people I met and bonded with during this part of the trail. Simply the passion that you share for hiking the trail is all we ever needed to strike up a decent conversation. I often joked about how I lost more weight on the trip from laughing over poop conversations than actually the walking part of the trail. It was just amazing the outpouring of love you could give and also receive within five minutes of meeting another hiker.

Falling in love with someone on trail seemed like it only needed a couple of days to happen.

And if it only takes a couple days to fall in love on the trail, how much love is given and received in nearly four months of hiking through California? It is simply unbelievable. The person who starts down at the Mexican border is totally transformed in every way by the time he or she gets to Oregon. No matter who you are or what you are dealing with, hiking the California PCT will change your life forever.

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The Southern California section of the PCT means carrying eight liters of water for a 38-mile section in 90-degree heat.

It also means freezing in a tent at 9,000 feet because you laughed at the fact a storm was going to bring rain in southern California and then it starts snowing.

And ultimately getting a trail name that is synonymous with my unfortunate lack of bowel movements in the beginning of the first section. These are the memories that summed up the Southern California PCT. To say the Southern California PCT is gorgeous is an understatement. But after surviving the desert, I was now at the doorstep of the Sierra. Opening that door took my breath away and changed my life forever.

When my muscles started to hurt more than usual, and I wished I could literally buy oxygen, that’s when I knew I made it to the Sierra section of the PCT. The Sierra Nevada meant granite peaks, extreme altitude, and a view that cameras don’t know how to capture.

Many hikers lose up to 10% of their body weight in this section because of the sheer effort it takes to get over some of the passes.

Waking up at 7,000 feet above sea level only to hike another 6,600 more feet up and down and repeat this day after day defies description. I remember huffing and puffing and cursing under my breath about these climbs, only to reach the top and hike slowly down the backside cheering John Muir because of the insane beauty I was witnessing. The orange glow of a granite wall at sunrise or sunset, and my camera’s full memory card simply spoke Sierra.

I averaged 9.8 miles a day for 20 days going through the Sierra. Not because I was tired or because it was hard – which it was – but purely because I wanted to.

I let my friends go and do their 18-mile days while I basked in the beauty that John Muir inspired me to see.

The descent out of the Sierra was gradual but obvious. When the highest elevation I hit for the day was around 7,000 feet, I knew Northern California was knocking at the door. The temperatures began to climb again, but the terrain got easier. The climbs were far mellower and the days were getting longer and longer. Pretty soon my slow

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Mono Hot Springs Discover the magic of this mountain oasis

By Leonie Sherman

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ine years ago I hiked into Mono Hot Springs after six days of cross country rambling. My companion and I were delighted to find friendly folks willing to share their food and their campsite. We sang songs and played dominos around a crackling fire. The next morning we soaked in a concrete hot tub known as “Old Pedro” while morning birdsong filled the air and the forest glowed with the new light of day.

The next winter a boyfriend and I decided to ski to the hot springs during a blizzard. Locals still gossip about our dramatic failure. One dry January I rode my bike 16 terrifying icy miles to visit the steaming healing waters.

In late autumn three years ago, I came for day hikes and scrambles. Now I come just to sit in dappled shade in the lazy boy chairs made of rounded river rocks by the banks of the San Joaquin and watch the river. Mono Hot Springs is a destination in its own right.

The hot springs are located in Sierra National Forest, sandwiched between Yosemite and Sequoia Kings

Canyon National Parks. The lack of law enforcement, splendid surroundings and laid back atmosphere attracts diverse users ranging from hunters to hippies, families to thru-hikers.

After driving through the bustling chaos of Fresno, six lanes of expressway fade into the meandering California State Route 168, which dead ends sixty-five miles later at Huntington Lake. A right turn connects to Kaiser Pass Road, which closes at the first snow fall and opens sometime in late May. After forty-five minutes of cautious driving along the twisting rutted single lane road, a small faded sign points half a mile downhill to Mono Hot Springs Resort.

Don’t be fooled by the “R” word; the grounds consist of a dozen scattered cabins, a tiny restaurant with a sprawling deck, a sparsely stocked general store and a run-down spa with a resident massage therapist and a few private tubs. There’s even a post office. A quiet National Forest Campground perches on the banks of

the rushing San Joaquin, PHOTOS with dispersed camping Main image: Kids enjoying available all around. The the hot springs (Sam Stivers). hot springs beckon across Opposite page, clockwise a slippery foot bridge. from left: Devil’s Washtub The resort closes in late (Stephen Hoefler); Waterfalls autumn, but a winter and steep walls, Goddard caretaker will welcome Canyon (Leonie Sherman); On top of Silver Pass (Leonie you during the cold dark Sherman). months.

At 6,500 feet, the winters never get desperately cold and the summers never get desperately hot. Ravens frolic all year round; climate change and warming temperatures mean the few resident bears barely even hibernate. Springtime is a profusion of blossoms in the wet meadows. Summer invites river frolicking. A mile away, the crystal waters of Doris Lake beckon to swimmers and cliff jumpers alike.

Autumn encourages crisp hikes.

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22 ASJ — June/July 2016

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Once you’ve made the arduous journey, there’s plenty to enjoy without getting back in your car. Days pass in a pleasant haze of fishing, jumping in the river, chatting to fellow campers, scrambling on nearby granite, soaking in hot springs and camp chores. An artesian well provides water for all. Memorial Day is particularly crowded and July 4th features a funky DIY parade.

For those who want to venture further afield, a fifteen minute drive up Kaiser Pass Road ends at the dam at Lake Edison and the Vermillion Resort, a raucous re-supply point for thru-hikers. Devil’s Bathtub, a stunning lake at 9,100 feet, is a five mile hike and a great destination for an excursion. A sweet twenty-mile loop over Goodale and Silver Passes, each around 11,000 feet, brings you past alpine lakes and under the dramatic Vermillion Cliffs.

Southeast of the hot springs, a half hour drive dead ends at another artificial body of water, Florence Lake. A water taxi traverses the placid waters to Lost Valley at the eastern shore. A gentle four and a half mile hike passes Blayney Hot Springs, in a marshy meadow, and the busy Muir Trail Ranch. Just a mile and a half further the trail intersects the 240 mile John

Muir Trail and all the possibilities that trek engenders.

While the remote location gives Mono Hot Springs charm and appeal, and lends a Wild West free-for-all kind of vibe, it also dooms the place to a serious lack of oversight. A few years ago a guy shot a bear from his car; he was long gone by the time a ranger arrived on the scene.

Illegal campfires are a huge issue during hunting season. Fresno’s half a million residents are only a two and a half hour drive away.

Frequent visitors talk about creating a Sierra National Park that would protect the entire spine of California from abuse. Implementation is a long way off, and the impact of more visitors might not compensate for the increase in protection.

Despite being surrounded by five designated wilderness areas, Lake Edison, Lake Florence and the hot springs themselves are granted only the meager protection of being part of Sierra National Forest. As in all of our national forests, funding for resource management and education are dwindling. If we want to continue to enjoy these magical places, it’s up to each of us to ensure their future protection.

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We All Live Downstream

S

itting in the steaming waters of Old Pedro one morning, watching the rushing waters of the San Joaquin, I got to wondering: where does all that water come from? And where is it going?

I caught a ride across Florence Lake, hiked for a day and turned south to trace the south fork of the San Joaquin up Goddard Canyon to it’s headwaters at Martha Lake. In eleven and a half miles of trail between Lost Valley and the McClure Meadow junction, I encountered about a hundred people. During two days following the South Fork of the San Joaquin, I saw five.

The South Fork carves a steep path through Goddard Canyon. Fed by swollen creeks, the river drops and foams in several fifty foot falls. The roar of rushing water is constant.

Above 10,500 ft the river is reduced to a gentle flow that wanders across bench-like alpine meadows. The blue ribbon ends abruptly in the flat expanse of Martha Lake. At 11,000 ft, this glacial lake reigns over an austere landscape of rock and sky, framed by 13,500 ft Mt. Goddard.

The San Joaquin is the longest river in central California. Five million people depend on it’s waters for agricultural and municipal use. But the complex system of diversions and canals that makes so much agriculture and settlement possible comes at a great price.

Construction of the Friant Dam in the 1940s virtually eliminated any flow upstream of the Merced River, and eradicated an entire salmon run.

As the climate shifts and population continues to grow, we face an intricate dance of balancing human needs with our impact on other species. Can we learn to live with less, and thereby restore some of the damage we’ve created? There’s no finer place to contemplate the things that matter than a lonely tarn at 11,000 ft. – LS www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 23

CALIFORNIA BREWING

Headlands Brewing Endurance athlete Phil Cutti tinkers his way to top brew

By Derrick Peterman

H

ave you heard the saying “Never trust a skinny brewer”? Whoever said that never tasted Phil Cutti’s beer. When Phil Cutti wasn’t running, cycling, or swimming, he worked as an exercise physiologist in the Bay Area. He entered triathlons, biked all over California, and did open water swims like the Seal Beach Rough Water Swim, covering ten miles from Huntington Beach to Seal Beach in Southern California. But there was something else Phil loved to do outdoors besides test his endurance: brew beer. For eighteen years, he tweaked and tinkered with home brewing recipes in his backyard.

Once he figured out the different recipes for his beers, he then focused on making each batch taste the same as before. One day, there came a moment where he tasted all the beers he made and realized “I’m ready!”

And with that, he changed careers, becoming the head brewer at Southpaw BBQ in 2012, a small brewpub in San Francisco where he still brews today. A year later, he took on a bigger effort, co-founding a brewery with Patrick Horn, a fellow homebrewer, and Inna Volynskaya, who previously worked in operations management at Lagunitas Brewing. They named it Headlands Brewing Company, after the South Marin County recreational area, reflecting the area they lived in and outdoor lifestyle they all enjoyed.

In many ways, Phil found the business of beer similar

to endurance sports. “Starting and growing a business is similar to training for and executing a race plan,” he explains. “You set your objectives and work towards them on a daily basis. You continue to evaluate as you work through the process and make adjustments.”

Not content to just sell beer, Headlands also actively supports the environment and the outdoor community within Marin County. “We participate in beach clean-ups at Muir and Stinson Beaches, and have had fun with trail maintenance projects in the Headlands and on Mt. Tam. We also support the Naturebridge non-profit and their efforts to connect nature with local youth.”

Headlands has three core beers: Groupe G Rye IPA, Point Bonita Rustic Lager, and Hill 88 Double IPA (see sidebar).

Point Bonita and Hill 88 are named after landmarks in Marin’s Headlands while Groupe G is named after a World War II Belgian Nazi resistance group. The beers are currently brewed under contract at a couple Northern California breweries, but Headlands has its own brewery and tap room in the works, which Phil anticipates will open early 2017 in southern Marin County.

The high point in Phil’s brewing career was winning a Bronze Medal last fall at The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in the Rye Beer category with his Point Bonita Pilsner. The GABF awards are the brewing industry’s version of the Academy Awards. Winning Bronze at the festival last year was an experience Phil describes as surreal. “I was in the auditorium, and all of a sudden, my beer is called,” recalls Phil of the big moment. “The Northern California brewers all sat together, and suddenly I’m getting a lot of congratulations. The rest of the day was a blur.”

Phil continues to keeping pedaling, running, and swimming. He’s targeting late July for an attempt to swim the length of Lake Tahoe and has a 100k run planned for this fall. “Having the outlet of exercise has had great benefits over the last three years. The ability to hit the trails or dive in the Bay not only brings stress relief, but also allows for the creative thought process to tackle a problem or spark a new idea.”

The Beers of Headlands Groupe G Rye Pale Ale: Lots of flavors going on in this brew. Headlands uses healthy doses of Mosaic hops to give the brew a spicy, floral character to balance with Belgian yeast which create their own spicy and aromatic qualities. As you might expect, it’s a lively brew with plenty of flavors going on, but it all tastes cohesive without going out of control.

Hill 88 Double IPA: Headlands co-founder Patrick Horn once described the motivation for their flagship Double IPA this way: “Lots of breweries make double IPAs by cramming as much hops as they can into them. There’s a time and a place for that, but it’s not what we wanted to do here.” The hops are fresh and assertive, yet balanced by a strong malt backbone and a slight sweetness. One of the few Double IPAs you don’t have to be a hop head to enjoy.

Point Bonita Rustic Lager: Winner of the Bronze Medal at last fall’s Great American Beer Festival in the Rye Beer Category. If you think lagers are tasteless and watery, this brew will change your mind in a hurry. Brewed with rye to give it a peppery note and lots of spicy Saaz, Liberty, and Crystal hops, it couples plenty of flavor to its refreshing drinkability. –DP

PHOTO Phil Cutti (left) with Headlands co-founder Patrick Horn (Derrick Peterman).

468 “I DEFINITELY would get these for camping; they are super simple and if the rest of the meals have this quality of taste then I think they would be a hit with my family. They would be way easier to pack and certainly much easier to make!!” - JKT

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ARMCHAIR ADVENTURES PHOTOS

Brave New Wild

New film offers a fun and intimate romp through the world of climbing

By Doug Robinson

S

everal years ago a young filmmaker knocked on my door. Oakley Anderson Moore wanted to interview me about life in Yosemite during its Golden Age in the 1960s. And, why is this climbing thing so compelling, even addictive, anyway?

She’s a climber, so she already knew, in her gut. And that’s the way her narrative comes across: knowing, companionable, at times even sly – as if to pull every one of us into a world of adventure, ultimately making the point that we’re all in this together.

We talked a lot, on and off camera. I still might have forgotten about it, since that was three houses ago – one way to measure the better part of a decade – except that Oakley kept in touch, phoning every once in awhile to talk about her progress or chew on some conundrum of scripting.

Brave New Wild, a feature-length romp through the world of climbing that is just out this spring, has been well worth the wait. Comparisons to Valley Uprising, with its sweeping history of Yosemite climbing, are inevitable, so

let’s get that out of the way first. Brave New Wild is not trying to represent the march of history, except in a very personal way that slowly weaves its way into the heart of climbing.

The film opens with a helicopter filling the screen, hugging the wall of El Cap. In the vast sweep of stone, haul bags declare camping gone vertical. It’s 1970, and archival footage shows a very serious

drawl. He’s told this story before, and Left, clockwise – just maybe – is a from top: VW bit tipsy, too. We’re engine rebuild (Mark treated to a lot of Moore); Nude ascent, Shockley’s Ceiling footage of him, (Ed Cooper collection); explaining in his Cold bivy on El Cap trademarked farcical (Wayne Merry); At style what, exactly, bottom: Brave New we’re up to here.

Wild Director Oakley Royal Robbins shows Anderson­ Moore (Alexander Reinhard). up too, explaining his very different version of events, and motivation, that includes wonderfully whimsical animation of his chopping Harding’s bolts. Of course we’ve heard the story of their conflict before, but this time it’s rounded out by an interview with Royal’s partner on the attempt to erase Harding’s climb, Don Lauria, shedding welcome new light on events.

Cut to home movie of a young girl splashing in the Merced River. It’s our narrator Oakley, shot by her father who pans from her up the walls of the Valley. “I began to notice a pattern,” she comments drily, leading us into a lovingly personal exploration into the dirtbag life of a man who, in the same era as the Dawn Wall, turned years of his full focus onto climbing. “What happened to this Golden Age? What did my father see when he looked through that viewfinder?”

We’ve entered into climbing’s biggest question –Why? – but instead of philosophizing we follow her Dad into just enough work as an itinerant fruit picker to support his passion.

Threads great and small weave together into this wonderful tale. The classic cartoons of Sheridan Anderson come alive into fanciful animation, followed by the impressionistic work of a modern illustrator. We’re treated to a rare interview with Joe Herbst, a very underthe-radar guy who as much as anyone opened up to climbing the Red Rocks outside of Las Vegas.

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“Brave New Wild is not trying to represent the march of history, except in a very personal way that slowly weaves its way into the heart of climbing. ” ranger explaining that they are about to rescue two climbers. Warren Harding and Dean Caldwell have been on the Dawn Wall longer than any wall climb, ever, and have come through a storm. It’s the first time that TV news crews have brought climbing to national attention.

Cut to Harding, telling the story. “We’ve come here to rescue you!”

“Huh?” “Our biggest problem was we were out of brandy ...”

Harding’s voice has a wonderful slow

Climbing in America.” We are treated to UC Berkeley professor Kerwin Klein – himself a climber – explaining how economic boom times after World War II led to a bounty across the country that would support people who wanted to live on the fringes of society. And explore.

Like the Beats of the 1950s, leading Jack Kerouac to proclaim a “rucksack revolution.” And climbers.

Brave New Wild is, in its own quirky style, haphazardly touring the country.

Seek out a showing and go see it. Or view it online. Your inner dirtbag will relish this fine film.

Find out where you can see this film on the big screen at BraveNewWild.com or watch it on iTunes and Vimeo On Demand. www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 2 5

Adventure in the Lost Sierra EcoBikeAdventures provides power-assisted mountain biking thrills for the whole family

By Matt Niswonger • Photos by Jason Shaimus

N

estled halfway between Downieville and Truckee is a mountain biking ranch that is quickly becoming known as a unique family adventure destination. Offering guided tours of the Lost Sierra on electric mountain bikes, the Bay Area-based startup EcoBikeAdventures provides thrills for every level of rider.

Curious about electric bikes after seeing a few different models while cruising around the Sea Otter Classic bike festival in April, we stumbled upon a large crowd of people gathered around an electric mountain biking presentation delivered by some folks from EcoBikeAdventures. Chris Rothe, the company co-founder, was explaining that the guided tours they offer provide a way for almost any age or ability to experience the thrill of long distance mountain biking in a gorgeous alpine setting.

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26 ASJ — June/July 2016

He went on to explain that the company operates on a private ranch in a beautiful part of the Sierra mountains northwest of Lake Tahoe. With environmental sustainability at the forefront of their business model, EcoBikeAdventures uses solar-equipped vehicles to recharge their electric mountain bikes.

Curious, I marched right up to their booth and asked Chris for a brochure. Did he say his electric mountain biking tours in the Lost Sierra are suitable for the whole family? I was a bit skeptical to say the least. After years of attempting to please everyone during family mountain biking rides I had pretty much given up on the concept of “family rides that are fun for the whole family.” After endlessly attempting to please everyone I was resigned that the downhills were either too boring for the boys or

PHOTOS Opposite page, top to bottom: EcoBikeAdventures co-founder Chris Rothe explains how to ride an electric mountain bike; Aerial view of the mountain biking ranch. This page, above: Pedal view of an electric fat tire bike.

too scary for my youngest, and all three kids find the uphills completely uninspiring.

I finally reached Chris by phone about a week later and explained to him I was researching electric bikes for a series of articles we are planning for Adventure Sports Journal. Chris told me that his tours on 1,800 acres of private property in one of the most beautiful parts of the Sierra would be a perfect way to field test electric mountain bikes while having a blast with my wife and kids.

Three weeks later, after a restful night’s sleep at the Chalet View Lodge in nearby Portola (highly recommended), we followed our directions to the ranch.

EcoBikeAdventures operates on the Diamond S Ranch alongside an ATV operation called Explore! Sierra Touring Company, which is located about 25 miles from Truckee via Highway 89 towards Sierraville. Luckily there is a strong cell phone signal the whole way and we just typed the address into our navigator: 2634 County Road A23 in Portola, CA 96122.

After some beautiful meandering through forests and alpine farmland reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, we noticed a gated entrance with a long dirt road leading to some picturesque wooden barns that reminded us of an Amish farm.

The genius of EcoBikeAdventures is partly their location on the Diamond S Ranch. Known for picturesque ATV and snowmobile tours on a variety of trails that crisscross the mountains, EcoBikeAdventures CEO and co-founder Craig Wilson realized the location was perfect for their business model. The rest, as they say, is history.

As we started our tour after being kitted up with pads and Kali full face helmets, all my concerns about our daughter Mia not being able to keep up were addressed.

Even though we were at altitude, she simply had to add power to her pedaling by twisting her wrist throttle and the electric motor would kick in, allowing her to keep up on every hill climb. I kept asking her if she was doing okay and she simply smiled and said she was having fun.

Finally able to relax, I settled into a groove and took in the sights. The Lost Sierra is a mythic and beautiful part of the Sierra mountain range to the northwest of Truckee and the area is also known as the Feather River. I had visited Downieville on mountain bike excursions and for the iconic Downieville Classic mountain bike race, but this was my first time seeing the eastern part of Plumas County and the towns of

Portola and Graegle. Characterized by beautiful alpine meadows and terrain that is more reminiscent of Switzerland than California, EcoBikeAdventures had certainly chosen a beautiful place to run an electric mountain bike ranch.

During a quick snack break I asked Chris how he got inspired to start EcoBikeAdventures. “Once people try one of our tours they quickly have a light bulb moment,” he shared. “The difference between an electric mountain bike tour and a regular mountain bike tour is that regular bike tours are too hard for some and not hard enough for others. An electric bike allows the rider to choose the level of input from the pedal assist so a range of strengths and abilities can experience the trails at the same time.”

I have to admit I was completely won over by the experience and all of my previous skepticism about my family all having fun together simply melted away. What I enjoyed about our tour was that everyone had the opportunity to earn their way to the top of the hills by pedaling the bikes, with the pedal assist function becoming the invisible equalizer which allowed my ten-year-old to feel just as accomplished as her older brothers.

On the downhills those of us who wanted an extra thrill took some detours with banked turns and other features that were designed by EcoBikeAdventure staff as short out-and-back excursions from group rest spots. In this way the level of adventure was perfectly fine-tuned for every rider and my boys had permanent ear-to-ear grins.

Chatting with Chris as we finished our experience, I began to understand the grand vision that the company is working towards. EcoBikeAdventures is opening up the thrill of electric mountain biking to a whole new class of rider. E-bikes have a learning curve and they are new and unfamiliar to most riders. As a result they are not appropriate without instruction and a proper introduction.

What’s awesome is that electric bikes bring the thrill of flowy riding to the uphill portion of any ride creating the potential for maximizing the fun factor of mountain biking. Before considering buying an electric mountain bike, anyone who is interested should take a tour with EcoBikeAdventures and get fully educated on the techniques, safety, and ridiculous fun that comes with electric mountain biking.

“Once you try an electric bike you realize they will have a large impact on all areas of cycling including mountan biking. The key is to help people move into that future in a safe and sustainable way,” says Chris.

By providing guided electric bike tours on private property, EcoBikeAdventures is working to shape a positive future for a sport that is set to explode in popularity according to many industry experts.

As we drove away from the ranch after our three-hour ride, we all felt tired and happy. “That was fun,” said my daughter Mia. “Can we do it again?”

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For questions about EcoBikeAdventures or to book a tour, visit their website at ecobikeadv.com or find them on Facebook or Instagram. www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 27

Triple Crown Summer A look at race offerings from the California Enduro Series and Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship

By Lauren Gregg CES Golden Tour Watching the progression of the sport of enduro, and specifically the development of the California Enduro Series (CES), has been incredibly exciting. Each year it becomes more fun to race while the impressive organization and professionalism continue to grow. Now, the new addition of the Golden Tour cements CES as one of the most progressive enduro series in the US. The 2016 CES Golden Tour is a pro triple crown “series within a series” consisting of the three most challenging venues on the CES schedule: the VP Endurofest at China Peak, the Northstar Enduro, and the Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro at Mammoth Mountain. The Golden Tour will showcase top talent, attract increased media attention, and allow up-and-coming racers to compete on international level courses as a stepping stone to the Enduro World Series (EWS). Kamikaze Bike Games Director Bill Cockroft is excited about the new development. “In the whole evolution of enduro racing,

we are very excited to be a part of the Golden Tour to help bring races like this to riders,” says Cockroft. He adds, “While enduro racing is not new by any means, it is still evolving, both riders and events, and we are excited to participate in that evolution.”

And how did the Golden Tour come about? The task of increasing the level of competition and media exposure while also maintaining the welcoming environment to newer racers was no easy task. After thoughtful consideration by race organizers and input from racers and the media about the development of the series, the Golden Tour was created as the best solution. The three stops of the Golden Tour boast extremely challenging tracks, while the other three venues (Fontana, Peavine, and Ashland) offer more wide-appeal courses appropriate for newer racers while still challenging pros.

Having a progression of venues – some that offer courses for everyone and others with extremely difficult

Photo: Dawson Friesen

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Opposite page, top to bottom: Brian Lopes (Intense Cycles) pinned on the 2014 Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro course (Called To Creation); Kathy Pruitt (Juliana Bicycles) goes over the top in last year’s Northstar Enduro (Called To Creation).

Above: Views of the Lost Sierra go on forever along the Grinduro course (Jordan Clark Haggard).

mountains to conquer – seems like the perfect way to cater to the wide range of riders participating in the series. Athletes from amateur to seasoned pro can enjoy this well-rounded series. The Golden Tour also allows pros to fully focus on the three most challenging venues, the favorite stops for top level riders. This Triple Crown Series allows pros with full schedules competing in other series, such as the EWS or North American Enduro Tour (NAET), to still gun for a spot on the overall podium of the tour without having to fit to all six CES races in their calendar.

The Golden Tour boasts an impressive $24,000 overall prize purse for the three events, attracting some of the top talent in the country to commit to the races.

Racers from the EWS will be participating, and as many of the top CES racers plan on taking the next step up to international competition, it’s a great opportunity to test themselves against some of the top riders in the world. In the Pro Women’s field, Kathy Pruitt and Kelli Emmmet of Juliana Bicycles have committed to the tour, and four-time mountain bike world champion Brian Lopes will be gunning for the top spot on the podium against twotime NAET champion Kyle Warner in the Pro Men’s field.

The high level of competition at these three events will certainly make for some extremely exciting racing. Racers and fans alike can look forward to the Golden Tour as three of the premier enduro events in the US this season.

Lost Sierra Triple Crown The Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) also has an exciting and very unique series new to 2016. The Lost Sierra Triple Crown will challenge riders with three very different types of races, for the ultimate test of both fitness and bike handling skills. The Triple Crown includes the Lost and Found 100-mile Gravel Grinder, the Downieville Classic Cross Country (one of my personal favorite venues), and the Grinduro,

a much loved event with a cult-like following that mixes gravel road-racing with a mountain bike-style Enduro.

With these three events, each testing riders in very different capacities, the overall Triple Crown will reward racers that have a wide range of skills and fitness on the bike. Race organizers thought outside of the box when creating this series which is sure to excite racers and draw a diverse group to the events.

“After a few friends took on the challenge of doing all three events last year, we thought it would be really fun to make the Lost Sierra Triple Crown an official event for 2016,” says Greg Williams, Executive Director of SBTS. “We believe the Triple Crown will be the ultimate test of a true backcountry rider, because if you’ve ever ridden in the Lost Sierra or done one of our events, you know that there’s no hiding; you have to be super fit and extremely skilled to prevail.”

Riders are allowed to use any bike they choose for the three events, the same bike is not required. Bike choice is an extremely important strategy decision in these events and racers must choose their weapon wisely. Cyclocross bikes with disc brakes are the favorite at the Lost and Found and Grinduro. Choosing a bike for the Downieville Cross Country can be more difficult – a superlight hardtail mountain bike can carry you quickly up the soul-crushing “Trail of Tears” climb, but the second half of the course takes riders down a long and technical descent more suited for a dualsuspension rig. I always love checking out everyone’s setup at the startline at Downieville – it’s interesting to see the diversity in bikes about to compete on the same course. Durable tires are the one non-negotiable – I once had SIX flats on a practice run at Downieville. It was not the greatest ride, with a five-mile hike-out finale …

The new Lost Sierra Triple Crown is a great way for riders to experience the stellar riding the region has to offer, while benefitting the SBTS which creates some of the best trails anywhere. These events are about more than just the riding, as well. Spending time in the Lost Sierra is always an incredible experience with fun for riders, friends and family with camping, fishing, and unique atmosphere of camaraderie.

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Gear We Love

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Goodies for your active lifestyle

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4 5 1. GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Backpacking Cooking Set We like this durable, non-stick super efficiently designed cooking set. The set includes two mugs with insulating sleeves, two bowls and an ingenious strainer lid. Also included are a frypan and a pot gripper, all designed to fit inside a carry bag that doubles as a sink basin.

Coming in at just under 1lb 13oz, the Pinnacle cooking set is the ultimate in space saving ingenuity that comes fully equipped for the needs of two backpackers.

MSRP $94.95 gsioutdoors.com 2. Spank OOZY 760 Trail Bar Sorry to get your mouth watering, but the OOZY is not that kind of trail bar. We’re talking mountain bike handlebars from Spank, a leading manufacturer of cycling components.

Oh, your mouth IS watering? You must be a die-hard rider!

Designed for cross country, trail, all mountain and enduro riding, the OOZY’s 760mm width offers added stability on the downhill. Made of Super-6 Alloy, the Spank Extreme Gradual Taper (XGT) bars are designed to taper gradually and continuously from reinforced wall thicknesses at the stem clamping zone, all the way to the bar ends.

The lack of stress risers, which are normally present in tapered handlebars, allows energy to dissipate unimpeded through a gradual tapering within the inner core, leading to improved strength and fatigue life, and better dampening of hard hits and chatter. To the rider, this means enhanced confidence and control, and less hand, wrist, and forearm pain.

MSRP $65.90 spank-ind.com

30 ASJ — June/July 2016

3. The North Face Campforter 20 Sleeping Bag Rated at 20 degrees Farenheit and weighing a svelte two pounds twelve ounces, the Campforter 20 is perfect for camping trips.

This is a down bag with a relaxed cut that allows for sleeping positions that are more natural. The down itself is water resistant with a hydrophobic finish that repels moisture up to ten times longer than untreated down.

Our favorite feature of this sleeping bag is the wraparound zipper that converts half of the bag to a cozy quilt for lounging around the campsite on chilly nights.

MSRP $249.00 thenorthface.com 4. Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) SingleNest Hammock This is the hammock that started it all.

The SingleNest comes with its own stuff sack and folds down to the size of a softball. This hammock is light enough for backpacking and also perfect for camping and hanging out in the backyard. If there is one piece of gear you buy this summer make it an ENO hammock … you can thank us later.

MSRP $69.95 eaglesnestoutfitters.com 5. CamelBak Quick Grip Chill Not every run is an expedition. We love how the Quick Grip Chill lets you move light and fast, but holds enough water for a substantial five-to ten-mile run. CamelBak added a zippered pouch with just enough room for the three true essentials: keys, card and phone.

The extra stretch mesh pouch expands to fit an energy gel or two, and the velvetex-lined strap won’t chafe your hands over the long haul.

And as always, the insulated Podium bottle keeps your drink cold from start to finish.

Other features include reflectivity, a key clip

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and an adjustable cinch strap for a secure carry. The Podium bottle features patented Jet Valve technology with a lockout dial for leakproof transport. The Quick Grip Chill comes in an array of color choices.

MSRP $28.00 camelbak.com 6. Urban Armor Gear Urban Armor Gear – or UAG as they are commonly known by – offer light weight yet rugged drop-tested military grade protection for all your devices. Inspired by a sense of adventure, their distinctive cases are engineered to protect your gear from the rigors of a mobile lifestyle and enhance the utility of your device.

Their products reflect the independent spirit of their designers and represent a dedication to superior quality and craftsmanship.

As work and adventures often go handin-hand, you will be rest assured knowing our MacBook and iPhone are well protected by their UAG Composite cases from the frequent mishaps they endure outdoors. UAG offers different levels of protection for an impressive array of devices; and they look pretty snazzy, too!

MSRP $34.95 (iPhone) - $79.95 (MacBook) urbanarmorgear.com

7. Zing Energy Bars This is a new energy bar brand that was formulated with sound nutritional science in mind. They also taste fantastic.

If you are looking for a new energy bar try Zing. Our favorite flavor is Dark Chocolate Mocha. Truly one of the tastiest energy bars ever made and high in protein and fiber to boot.

MSRP $31.95 per dozen zingbars.com 8. Chaco Sol Women’s Sandals The Chaco Sol is the go-anywhere and wearwith-anything sandal we love. With the same durability that made Chaco famous, the Sol is our favorite sandal for long summer days.

As part of their New Chill leather collection, the Sol features full-grain leathers and padded pigskin lining. The sandal features the all-day support and comfort of Chaco’s slimmeddown women’s specific LUVSEAT™ footbed and their 25 percent recycled EcoTread™ outsole.

MSRP $80.00 chacos.com

SUMMER Paddleboard Events A look at some of our favorite paddleboard races

by Luke Yates

P

addleboarding has come a long way in the last ten years. The sport, which has its roots in surf rescue, has surged in popularity, with an ever-increasing range of specialized equipment and events throughout California.

Alongside the traditional prone version associated with surfing, stand-up paddleboarding has become increasingly popular as well. ASJ has been profiling this sport from the very beginning, and these are three of our favorite events happening this summer.

JAY RACE

June 18, Capitola

The Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddleboard Race, commonly known as the Jay Race, will celebrate its 15th anniversary this year. Hundreds of spectators and competitors will descend on Capitola and the beautiful waters of Monterey Bay for this unique event. Presented for the first time by New Leaf Community Markets, the Jay Race has both a 12-mile course and a two-mile short course, for both prone and stand-up paddleboarders.

For all-round paddlers, there is also the Waterman Challenge. This event is made up of a 500m swim, 1500m prone paddle and a 1000m stand-up paddle.

“We absolutely love the Waterman Challenge. It is definitely the most spectator friendly race,” says race organizer Duke Brouwer. “It keeps people on the beach.

They don’t want to miss it. We could see close to a hundred competitors.”

Jay Moriarity was a world-class surfer renowned for his love of the ocean, all-round skill on the water and enthusiastic and open personality. He died in 2001 at the age of 22. Moriarity was well known for surfing the huge waves at Mavericks, close to Half Moon Bay, but it is his spirit and passion that is remembered most.

The event aims to encourage all athletes, regardless of age or gender, to enjoy the ocean, and to “Live like Jay,” through friendly competition.

Proceeds from the event are distributed by the Jay Moriarity Foundation, and will benefit several local charities. These include local junior lifeguard associations and Ocean of Hope, a team of paddlers that supports cancer sufferers by dedicating their race efforts and raising awareness to cancer patients.

For more information check out the Jay Race on Facebook.

TA-HOE NALU

August 12-14, Kings Beach

Celebrating its tenth year, Ta-Hoe Nalu brings the feel of a traditional Hawaiian paddle festival to the spectacular Kings Beach on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Quickly becoming a must-do event for anyone associated with all forms of paddleboarding, Ta-Hoe Nalu was founded in 2007 by Ernie Brassard.

During the event, hundreds of competitors and thousands of spectators will help create a party atmosphere in the high Sierra. The three-day event begins on Friday afternoon with paddleboarding workshops, yoga and exhibits. Racing begins on Saturday morning and continues through to Sunday, with competitions in prone and stand-up paddling, as well as outrigger racing. Distances vary from the ten-mile long course event to two-mile beginner races.

Brassard had seen friends playing around on standup paddleboards so he purchased his own from Bob Pearson at Arrow Surfboards in Santa Cruz. After paddling the clear Tahoe waters a few times, he was soon hooked on this new way to enjoy the lake.

Brassard says, “Pearson was joking around one time.

He says, ‘You know, maybe we should come up and do some kind of crossing and paddle on the lake.’” The idea stuck. Brassard mentioned it to a few people and Chris Thibaut, owner of Jake’s on the Lake restaurant in Tahoe City, offered to throw a party on the Friday night before the paddle. Brassard and Pearson put the word out, and the race was on. They were joined by friends from Santa Cruz and Southern California, to paddle the eight miles to Captain Jon’s restaurant in Tahoe Vista.

“We had so much fun that year, that we said, ‘We’ve got to do this again.’ And that’s how it all started.” says Brassard. “We never expected to be doing this ten years later.”

For more information on this year’s event, including how to register, visit tahoenalu.com.

TAHOE CUP PADDLE RACING SERIES Waterman’s Paddle Jam, July 9 & Fall Classic, Sept. 11 The Tahoe Cup Paddle Racing Series takes place throughout the summer, with the first event on Donner Lake in mid-May. The second and third events both take place on Lake Tahoe and offer recreational paddlers and more serious racers the chance to compete in SUP, prone paddleboard and outrigger races.

The Waterman’s Paddle Jam is a six-mile race and takes place at the Waterman’s Landing in Carnelian Bay, North Lake Tahoe. Hundreds of competitors are expected to be at the start line, and there will be equipment demos following the race.

The Tahoe Fall Classic is the longest inland paddleboard race in the world, at 22 miles, and will welcome more than 150 athletes from around the world. It begins at El Dorado Beach in South Lake Tahoe and finishes at the Mourelatos Lakeshore Resort in Tahoe Vista.

The Fall Classic will be part of the first annual Tahoe Vista Paddlefest, a two day beach event held at the Mourelatos Lakeshore Resort. This is a weekend to celebrate all things paddling, with a paddleboard expo, equipment demos, yoga and live music.

According to race organizer Phil Segal, in the early years participation would increase by 100% each year. While this has slowed slightly, the fantastic atmosphere at the races continues to fuel the popularity of the sport. “The kids are what’s driving this sport. That’s the future. You see a big family atmosphere at the races. They’re all participating and really cheering everybody on.” says Segal. “These kids are more aggressive and competitive than the adults are!”

The Tahoe Cup is hosted by the Lake Tahoe Paddleboard Association. Their mission is to promote human-powered paddlesport activities in the Tahoe Basin.

For more information on the Tahoe Cup Paddle Series, visit tahoecup.org.

PHOTOS Clockwise from top: Ta-Hoe Nalu brings the feel of a traditional Hawaiian paddle festival to Kings Beach, Lake Tahoe (Ta-Hoe Nalu collection); SUP events like the Tahoe Cup Paddle Series provide a family friendly atmosphere where kids are encouraged to participate (Peter Spain Photography/Tahoe Cup); The Jay Race is celebrating their 15 year anniversary and will attract all kinds of paddlers to raise money for a good cause (Jay Race collection); All focus and determination at The Jay Race (Jay Race collection).

32 ASJ — June/July 2016

Triple Crown Summer A look at race offerings from the California Enduro Series and Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship

By Lauren Gregg CES Golden Tour Watching the progression of the sport of enduro, and specifically the development of the California Enduro Series (CES), has been incredibly exciting. Each year it becomes more fun to race while the impressive organization and professionalism continue to grow. Now, the new addition of the Golden Tour cements CES as one of the most progressive enduro series in the US. The 2016 CES Golden Tour is a pro triple crown “series within a series” consisting of the three most challenging venues on the CES schedule: the VP Endurofest at China Peak, the Northstar Enduro, and the Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro at Mammoth Mountain. The Golden Tour will showcase top talent, attract increased media attention, and allow up-and-coming racers to compete on international level courses as a stepping stone to the Enduro World Series (EWS). Kamikaze Bike Games Director Bill Cockroft is excited about the new development. “In the whole evolution of enduro racing,

we are very excited to be a part of the Golden Tour to help bring races like this to riders,” says Cockroft. He adds, “While enduro racing is not new by any means, it is still evolving, both riders and events, and we are excited to participate in that evolution.”

And how did the Golden Tour come about? The task of increasing the level of competition and media exposure while also maintaining the welcoming environment to newer racers was no easy task. After thoughtful consideration by race organizers and input from racers and the media about the development of the series, the Golden Tour was created as the best solution. The three stops of the Golden Tour boast extremely challenging tracks, while the other three venues (Fontana, Peavine, and Ashland) offer more wide-appeal courses appropriate for newer racers while still challenging pros.

Having a progression of venues – some that offer courses for everyone and others with extremely difficult

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Opposite page, top to bottom: Brian Lopes (Intense Cycles) pinned on the 2014 Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro course (Called To Creation); Kathy Pruitt (Juliana Bicycles) goes over the top in last year’s Northstar Enduro (Called To Creation).

Above: Views of the Lost Sierra go on forever along the Grinduro course (Jordan Clark Haggard).

mountains to conquer – seems like the perfect way to cater to the wide range of riders participating in the series. Athletes from amateur to seasoned pro can enjoy this well-rounded series. The Golden Tour also allows pros to fully focus on the three most challenging venues, the favorite stops for top level riders. This Triple Crown Series allows pros with full schedules competing in other series, such as the EWS or North American Enduro Tour (NAET), to still gun for a spot on the overall podium of the tour without having to fit to all six CES races in their calendar.

The Golden Tour boasts an impressive $24,000 overall prize purse for the three events, attracting some of the top talent in the country to commit to the races.

Racers from the EWS will be participating, and as many of the top CES racers plan on taking the next step up to international competition, it’s a great opportunity to test themselves against some of the top riders in the world. In the Pro Women’s field, Kathy Pruitt and Kelli Emmmet of Juliana Bicycles have committed to the tour, and four-time mountain bike world champion Brian Lopes will be gunning for the top spot on the podium against twotime NAET champion Kyle Warner in the Pro Men’s field.

The high level of competition at these three events will certainly make for some extremely exciting racing. Racers and fans alike can look forward to the Golden Tour as three of the premier enduro events in the US this season.

Lost Sierra Triple Crown The Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) also has an exciting and very unique series new to 2016. The Lost Sierra Triple Crown will challenge riders with three very different types of races, for the ultimate test of both fitness and bike handling skills. The Triple Crown includes the Lost and Found 100-mile Gravel Grinder, the Downieville Classic Cross Country (one of my personal favorite venues), and the Grinduro,

a much loved event with a cult-like following that mixes gravel road-racing with a mountain bike-style Enduro.

With these three events, each testing riders in very different capacities, the overall Triple Crown will reward racers that have a wide range of skills and fitness on the bike. Race organizers thought outside of the box when creating this series which is sure to excite racers and draw a diverse group to the events.

“After a few friends took on the challenge of doing all three events last year, we thought it would be really fun to make the Lost Sierra Triple Crown an official event for 2016,” says Greg Williams, Executive Director of SBTS. “We believe the Triple Crown will be the ultimate test of a true backcountry rider, because if you’ve ever ridden in the Lost Sierra or done one of our events, you know that there’s no hiding; you have to be super fit and extremely skilled to prevail.”

Riders are allowed to use any bike they choose for the three events, the same bike is not required. Bike choice is an extremely important strategy decision in these events and racers must choose their weapon wisely. Cyclocross bikes with disc brakes are the favorite at the Lost and Found and Grinduro. Choosing a bike for the Downieville Cross Country can be more difficult – a superlight hardtail mountain bike can carry you quickly up the soul-crushing “Trail of Tears” climb, but the second half of the course takes riders down a long and technical descent more suited for a dualsuspension rig. I always love checking out everyone’s setup at the startline at Downieville – it’s interesting to see the diversity in bikes about to compete on the same course. Durable tires are the one non-negotiable – I once had SIX flats on a practice run at Downieville. It was not the greatest ride, with a five-mile hike-out finale …

The new Lost Sierra Triple Crown is a great way for riders to experience the stellar riding the region has to offer, while benefitting the SBTS which creates some of the best trails anywhere. These events are about more than just the riding, as well. Spending time in the Lost Sierra is always an incredible experience with fun for riders, friends and family with camping, fishing, and unique atmosphere of camaraderie.

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2016 Essential Race Calendar Visit us online for a full listing of upcoming California events.

Go to AdventureSportsJournal.com and click on the EVENTS button.

Biking JUNE 4 ­— Lost & Found Lake Davis, SierraTrails.org 4 — Eastern Sierra Double Century. This is road bike heaven! PlanetUltra.com 5 — The Wildest Ride in the West, Auburn. Three routes to choose from. WildestRide.com 11 — Incarnation 100, Santa Rosa, 3 routes.Incarnation100.org 12 — Silicon Valley Tour de Cure Palo Alto, Tour.Diabetes.org 12 — The Carson City OffRoad Carson City, See page 34 or go to epicrides.com 18 — Lake Tahoe MTB Race MountainBikeLakeTahoe.com 18-19 — Northstar DH / Gravity Clinic.

ASingleTrackMind.com

June 24-26 — Maui Destination Camp yoga/bike skills ASingleTrackMind.com

12-17th — USA Cycling National Championships, MammothMountain.com

25 — EnduroFest at China Peak MTN Resort. Lakeshore.

CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com

22-24 ­— Downieville Moutnain Epic Downieville, SierraTrails.org

25 — Climb to Kaiser, Clovis.

Rated as one of the 10 toughest rides. ClimbToKaiser.com 25 — Alta Alpina Challenge 4 routes. AltaAlpina.org/challenge JULY 2-3 — MTB Core Fundamentals Truckee Learn solid foundation skills and more.

ASingleTrackMind.com 9 — Mendocino 100 Mountain bike endurance race, 100 miles or 100 kilometres (62 miles).

SuperProRacing.com 9 — Tour of the California Alps - Death Ride, Markeleeville.

Five pass ride, 129 miles and 15,000 feet, or just ride one to four passes. DeathRide.com

24 — Kirkwood Mountain Classic Kirkwood, CA. Sierra Cup Mountain Bike Series, SierraCupMTB.com

Paddling Stand Up Paddle Boarding Club, Santa Cruz Area. Focus on balance, technique, open ocean paddling & core strength.

KayakConnection.com or call 831.479.1121

Miscellaneous

Spring & Summer — Craft Beer on the Toulumne River, Groveland, whitewater thrills by day, then choice brews pared with gourmet fare. For more info visit OARS online at oars.com/ beer-tasting 800-346-6277

JUNE

JUNE

30-31 — Northstar Enduro Clinic Geared towards Enduro race preparation.

ASingleTrackMind.com

19 — Wild West, Nevada City, Equathon & Run , Two people, one horse, one tough race.

Beginners welcome. contact info@RideAndTie.org JULY 2 ­— Ride and Tie World Championship, Cuyamaca, Equathon & Run , Features

Chico Velo Cycling Club and

present:

Challenge Fondo

Saturday, September 10 durham, Ca at durham Community park

• Enabling access for ALL including able-bodied cyclists, visually and physically impared cyclists. Welcoming handcycles and recumbents.

• Try handcycling! Adaptive cycles provided by Ability First Sports • Ride with Blind Mountain Bike Racer Bobby McMullen • 100, 65, 50 and 30 mile timed routes; 20 and 5 mile fun rides • Awards for all categories!

• Limited to 500 riders

unknown Coast Weekend Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18 Ferndale, Ca at Humboldt County Fairgrounds

• Ride the Unknown Coast century in two days.

We carry your gear!

• Ride through the Eel River Valley, enjoy Avenue of the Giants redwoods, experience Cape Mendocino coast and The Wall • Limited to 100 riders. Tent or cabin options!

more info and registration at www.chicovelo.org Chico Velo Cycling Club • velo@chicovelo.org 36 — June/July2013 2016 30 ASJ ASJ—April/May

meadows, mountains, and oak woodlands. contact info@ rideandtie.org

10-12- California 100, Chico, riversforchange.org 11 — Thunderbird Paddle Race, Sand Harbor, NV 10AM, 4 Mile, 8 Mile, Kids.

LakeTahoePaddling.

18 — Jay Moriarty Memorial Paddleboard Race, Capitola 15th annual. JayRace.com

JULY 9 - Waterman’s Paddle Jam, Tahoe, tahoecup.org

Runing JUNE 4-5th —World Famous Mud Run, Camp Pendleton, half marathon, 10K, 5K Kids 1K. mccscp.com 4 — Truckee Running Festival, Truckee. Kids/5K/10K/ Half Marathon. 530-546-1019 info@TahoeTrailRunning.com 5 — See Jane Run AllWomen’s Half Marathon and 5k, San Francisco SeeJaneRun.com 11— Henry Coe 5k & 10k Run/Walk, Gilroy Easy fairly flat dirt trail course through the beautiful late spring scenery. coepark.net 12 — Squaw Valley Half Marathon SquawValleyHalf. com

19 — Superhero Race, Aptos 5k, 10k, or 15k out-and-back at beautiful Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. There’s also a free kids race. Costumes welcome! fleetfeetaptos.com 19 — Burton Creek Trail Runs 6K, 12K, Half Marathon, Kids TahoeTrailRunning.com 19 — Run in the Name of Love, Carmel by the Sea, 5K run & 2K walk. runinthenameoflove.org 19 — Wild West, Nevada City, Equathon & Run , Two people, one horse, one tough race.

Beginners welcome. contact info@rideandtie.org 26 — Run To The Beach Run from Tahoe City to Squaw Valley TahoeTrailRunning.com JULY 2 ­— 46th Annual Ride & Tie World Championship, Cuyamaca, Equathon & Run , Features meadows, mountains, and oak woodlands. contact info@rideandtie.org

bike • paddle • run • swim • triathlon

4 ­The FIrecracker Mile, Truckee, 1-mi, downtown just before the parace. truckeerunningseries.com 4 — Run to the Beach, Kings Beach TahoeTrailRunning.com 10 — Jungle Run, Los Gatos.

HalfMarathons.net 10 — Pacific Grove Military Appreciation Race, Pacific Grove. Show the men and women of our Armed Forces how much you appreciate their service with a 5k/10k race along the vibrant coast of Pacific Grove. fleetfeetaptos.com

Swim JUNE 11 — Sand Harbor Open Water Swim, Sand Harbor.

1/2, 1.2, 2.4 Mile Open Water Swim, 530-546-1019. info@ TahoeSwimming.com JULY 23 — Open Water Swim Clinic finishlineproduction.com 24 — Donner Lake Swim, Donner Lake 1/2, 1.2, 2.4 Mile Open Water Swim TahoeSwimming.com

31 — San Francisco Marathon. San Francisco for TheSFMarathon.com

Triathlon/ Duathlon

30 — 35th Annual Squaw Mountain Run/Hike. 3.6 miles with 2,000’ elevation gain. Run or hike. For more info go to truckeerunningseries.com

JUNE 5 — Folsom Lake International Triathlon & Aquabike, Folsom Lake.

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5 — Orange County Tri Series, Lake Mission Viejo.

OCtriseries.com 5 – Sacramento International Triathlon, Discovery Park.

Racesanfrancisco.com 10-12th — The Triathlon at Pacific Grove TriCalifornia.com 11 — Groveland Gears & Grooves, Groveland Triathlon. Mile swim, 5 mile run, and 25 mile bike ride.

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Join Auburn Ski Club & Tahoe Mountain Sports to Race for a cause with the SUMMER RACE SERIES!

12 ­— Squaw Valley Half Marathon, Squaw Valley info@tahoetrailrunning.com / squawvalleyhalf.com 530-546-1019

The Firecracker Mile ­ Monday, July 4 Squaw Mountain Run ­ Saturday, July 30 Sierra Crest 30/50K Run ­ Saturday, August 6

25 — XTERRA Tahoe City adventuresportsweek.com 26 — California Sprint Tri Pleasanton.USAproductions. org

Details at truckeerunningseries.com Proceeds benefit The Auburn Ski Club’s Youth & Junior Nordic Ski Programs

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72 miles of pure liquid fun Lake Tahoe Water Trail

Adventure Events Calendar Triathlon/Duathlon, continued JULY 9 — June Lake Triathlon. Beautiful high altitude alpine course. HighSierraTri.org 10 — Ironman 70.3 Vineman Triathlon Sonoma, VineMan.com

Discover the best of Santa Cruz with our premier guiding and coaching service. therideguides.com

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10 — Dip and Dash Aquathlon #1, Santa Cruz.

FinishLineProduction.com 16 — Eppie’s Great Race, American River Parkway, Sacramento. 5.82-mile run, 12.5-mile cycle, 6.35-mile paddle. EppiesGreatRace.org © Corey Rich / Aurora Photos

Find your paddle adventure at

LakeTahoeWaterTrail.org

We’ll Show You The Way

Launch & Landing Sites • Maps Paddle Routes • Paddle Shops Campgrounds & Lodging Events • Water Safety Info

Explore the High Country

Learn the skills of a pro from a pro!

Ebbetts Pass Hwy 4

23 — Tri-for-REAL Triathlon #3, Rancho Seco Park, Herald. TBFracing.com 23 - 24 — Donner Lake Triathlon, Kids, Sprint, Half, Olympic & Aquabike. donnerlaketri.com 30 — Full Vineman Ironman, Sonoma.

VineMan.com 31— Oakland Triathlon Festival, Jack London Square. Oaklandtri.com

Looking Ahead Aug. 4 - 7th — Downievlle Race and Festival, Downieville. All-mountain World Championships, XC Adventure Race and Downieville Downhill.

DownievilleClassic.com Aug. 6 — Sierra Crest 30 & 50K, Tahoe Donner to Soda Springs. truckeerunningseries.com Aug. 6 — Salinas Valley Half Marathon, Runners pass wineries, vineyards and fields of verdant row crops before crossing an idyllic finish line at Pessagno Winery. bsim.org

Activities include: Kayaking, SUPing, Hiking, Mtn & Road Biking, Disc Golf, Hiking, Climbing, Camping, Fishing, etc.

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Aug. 14 — Tri Santa Cruz. // t’s our 10th Anniversary and we’re going to have a party!

Main Beach Santa Cruz. International Triathlon, Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon, Dip and Dash Aquathlon #2, Aquabike & Relays available.

FinishLineProduction.com Aug. 12 - 14- ­— Ta-Hoe Nalu Paddle Festival, Tahoe, Races, clinics, demos, expo in a great festival like atmosphere on Lake Tahoe. tahoenalu. com

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Aug. 27-28 — Northstar Enduro at Northstar California Resort, Truckee. Round #6 of CES. CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com Sept. 1 - 3 — ­­ Wine Tasting on the Toulumne River http://www.oars.com/our_adventures/ winetrips Sept. 2-5 — Endless Summer Yoga Retreat See May 27 description. Book now at www. granlibakken.com or contact shawnalee@ granlibakken.com for more information.

Sept. 10 — Challenge Fondo, Durham For ablebodied and disabled cyclists. Timed eventsfrom 30 -100 miles and 5 & 20 mile fun rides. www.

ChicoVelo.com Sept. 10 — SLO Ultra This race will take you over wild undiscovered territories along the majestic California coastline where it’s rough, it’s rugged, and it’s dirty. www.SLOUltra.com Sept. 11 — Great Tahoe Flume Race Lake Tahoe, NV. Sierra Cup Mountain Bike Series, SierraCupMTB.com Sept. 11 - Tahoe CupFall Classic Paddle Race, Tahoe, Go to tahoecup.com for more info.

Sept. 15-18 — Road to Mendocino A 4-day, 365-mile odyssey from Reno to Mendo.

SuperProRacing.com Sept. 15-18 — Kamikaze Bike Games, Mammoth Downhill, dual slalom, crosscountry, klunker race, kids races and much much more.

Kamikazebikegames.com Sept. 17— 13th Annual Tahoe Sierra Century, Squaw Valley TahoeSierraCentury.com Sept. 17 — Emerald Bay Trail Run, Lake Tahoe West Shore TahoeTrailRunning.com Sept. 17-18 — Unknown Coast Weekend, Ferndale The ride starts and finishes along the quiet coastal towns of Ferndale and consists of two extremely hilly, but scenic days – 65 miles on Saturday and 35 miles on Sunday. ChicoVelo.org Sept. 18— Dip and Dash Aquathlon #3, Santa Cruz. FinishLineProduction.com Sept. 24 — Lederhosen 5K & 10K, Squaw Valley, TahoeTrailRunning.com

Aug. 20 — Beckwourth 100 MTB Enurance Race Beckwourth, NorthlanderEvents.com

Sept. 25 — Truckee Marathon, Truckee TahoeTrailRunning.com

Aug. 18-21—Mendocino MTB Madness (M5) Three fully supported days of amazing singletrack riding, family-friendly , includes rustic accommodations with fire places and meals.

SuperProRacing.com

Oct. 9 ­— Surf City AIDS Ride A charity ride is to support the Santa Cruz AIDS Project (SCAP). 12, 30, 65 or 100 miles. surfcityaidsride.org

Aug. 20 — Big Blue Trail Run, Incline Village 5K & 10K Run TahoeTrailRunning.com

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Aug. 21 — Lake Tahoe Sharkfest. 1-mile swim on Crystal Bay. Raceroster.com

Aug. 21 — Marlette 50K and 10Miler “RRCA State Championship” Lake Thoe East Shore, TahoeTrailRunning.com 21 — Orca Alcatraz Challenge Aquathlon & Swim, San Francisco. TriCalifornia.com

Nov. 13 — Half Marathon on Monterey Bay Plus the Pacific Grove Lighthouse 5K and By the Bay 3K. By the people who bring you the Big Sur International Marathon. bsim.org

List events for free on our website at

AdventureSports Journal.com

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