Adventure Sports Journal //Aug/Sept 2018 // #104

PRINT VS. DIGITAL / GEAR WE LOVE / EVENT PROFILES / CALENDAR

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 ISSUE #104

YURI hauswald

gravel grinder

RIDING THE

REDWOODS FOR THE LOVE OF CLIMBING seth zaharias CLIMBING INJURY PREVENTION

OUTRIGGER GOLD AT AGE 76 barbara leites

CHANNEL ISLANDS RESTORATION

Table of Contents

Photo: Kristi Odom

Photo: Myke Hermsmeyer

Photo: Bruce Willey

departments

6 7 12 14 28 30 34

features

Editor’s Note

The Digital Compromise

Inbox

ASJ readers chime in

Ear to the Ground News & notes

EPiC

Channel Islands Restoration

Event Profiles

Featured upcoming events

16 18 20 22

Riding the Redwoods

Exploring Northern California’s big trees by bike and by foot

Beyond the Tape

Preventing climbing injuries

Seth Zaharias

Climbing in Joshua Tree

Never Too Old for Gold

Outrigger champ Barbara Leites

24 26

Photo: Mike Grummell

Yuri Hauswald

Gravel champion

Rock Star

Q&A with Enduro Pro Matt Guntert Photo: Leonie Sherman

Cover Yuri Hauswald bringing home the title of 2015 Dirty Kanza Champion at the prime age of 44 years old. Photo by Linda Guerrette.

Calendar

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

Gear We Love

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.

Directory of upcoming events Goodies for an active lifestyle

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asj contributors what outdoor accomplishment are you most proud of?

PUBLISHING + EDITORIAL

leoniesherman

In 2001 I helped train folks to climb trees and do biological surveys. We found evidence of red tree voles. The US Forest Service confirmed their presence and plans to log the area were scrapped as a result.

kurtgensheimer

Mapping and riding the first ever mountain bike route from Salt Lake City to Moab. 421 miles. 8 days.

95 percent dirt. 60 percent singletrack. Amazing!

havenlivingston

Climbing El Capitan. It takes an insane amount of physical strength and endurance while keeping your head in the game managing complex gear systems and risk.

chrisvanleuven The time Aaron Martin and I climbed the scary aid route on Half Dome’s northwest face called The Big Chill.

brucewilley

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matt Niswonger matt@adventuresportsjournal.com MANAGING EDITOR Michele Charboneau michele@adventuresportsjournal.com COPY EDITOR Jennifer Stein jen@adventuresportsjournal.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Leonie Sherman, Chris Van Leuven, Kurt Gensheimer, Haven Livingston, Bruce Willey, Michele Charboneau CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Leonie Sherman, Kasey Carames, Yuri Hauswald, Cedar Wright, Called To Creation, Satchel Cronk, Don Kinnamon, Mike Grummell, Myke Hermsmeyer, Linda Guerette, Kevin Shannon, Kristi Odom, Selah Green, Philip Kaake LAYOUT Cathy Claesson & Michele Charboneau COVER DESIGN Juliann Klein WEBMASTER Brooklyn Taylor brook@adventuresportsjournal.com

I soloed Mt. Shasta, the fifth highest mountain in California, without supplemental oxygen while chain smoking Camel non-filters and 20 or so joints. I’m pretty sure this happened in some form or another.

michelecharboneau Learning to mountain bike (and excelling on the more technical tracks!) in my mid-forties, proving that age is just a number.

jenniferstein

PUBLISHER Cathy Claesson cathy@adventuresportsjournal.com

Running my first two half marathons in my forties — maybe it’s time for a third before I’m fifty!

mattniswonger

Solo climbing the Zodiac route on El Capitan. It was four days of total commitment that boosted my confidence as a Yosemite wall rat.

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Cathy Claesson I 831.234.0351 cathy@adventuresportsjournal.com EVENTS & DISTRIBUTION Matt Niswonger matt@adventuresportsjournal.com EVENTS MARKETING Michele Charboneau michele@adventuresportsjournal.com Jennifer Stein jen@adventuresportsjournal.com Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Adventure Sports Journal or our advertisers. We usually agree with our articles, but sometimes we don’t. We welcome all contributions.

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All content © Adventure Sports Journal 2018.

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Editor’s Note

The Digital Compromise

Staying true to our roots in a virtual world

I

n response to my article in the last issue (#103 Digital Apocalypse) we received more emails than usual. Readers unanimously rejected the idea that print media is inferior to digital media, and many let us know that they refuse to read ASJ on their phones and laptops and enjoy the more serene vibe of turning paper pages.

In addition to printing many of your emails, we compiled excerpts and took them with us to the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Colorado in late July.

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market has traditionally been the place where the entire industry, from sleeping bag makers to kayak manufacturers and everybody in between, comes together. We wanted to show our current advertisers and some potential new advertisers how passionate you feel about reading ASJ in print and not spending any more of your precious time looking at screens.

After absorbing the heartfelt emails encouraging us to resist the digital onslaught and continue publishing the print version of ASJ, we feel energized and grateful. You gave us the courage to share some honest feedback with some important and influential companies in the outdoor industry. In return, many of the companies we talked to said

they also feel pressured to commit way too much energy and money pandering to online environments like Facebook and Instagram when those digital environments increasingly seem antithetical to what the outdoor community stands for.

Specifically, what we all want as climbers, surfers, bikers, hikers and general adventurers is to spend long periods of time totally absorbed in the healing vibe of nature. The outdoor products we buy are simply tools to help us get out there and lose ourselves in the activities we love. ASJ is a way to keep the outdoor stoke alive by having a copy laying around the house so you can savor the articles bit by bit, and maybe see some cool ads along the way. If you are not interested in a particular ad then no biggie, just turn the page.

In contrast, advertising in the digital environment is designed to stalk us wherever we go. To show us more ads, our attention is pulled this way and that, and the content is designed to create an emotional reaction so we stay online for longer and longer periods of time. In the case of social media, there is a fleeting sense of feeling connected to others, but only if we work harder and harder in an endless quest to get more comments, likes, and shares. We feel exhausted,

and in time the overall experience becomes negative.

All of that said, I am not some kind of anti-digital Luddite. I know there is a time and a place for pulling out our phones and researching something on Google or using a navigation app or checking out our peeps on Facebook once in a while. What I have a problem with is the constant pressure to share every aspect of our lives and feeling like I have to check my phone every five minutes or else face the dreaded “fear of missing out.”

As publishers of a magazine we were told years ago that print is going away and we need to put all our effort into capturing a digital audience. Accordingly I took a deep dive into social media so we can share our articles and draw readers to our website. After a couple of years of this I have come to the conclusion that spending any more than a small amount of time on social media is mutually exclusive with the true outdoor lifestyle.

As I shared in the last issue, I am also very concerned for the next generation. It’s hard for Cathy and I to embrace the concept of a digital magazine when we feel like so many kids and young adults are getting sucked down a digital rabbit hole from which they might never escape. We all know that the internet is a breeding ground for hatred and lies, and kids are the most vulnerable. In a nutshell, social media is just not something we want to be a part of, except on a limited basis.

Still, we have to make a compromise given the uncertain future of print media. Given the positive response from readers and advertisers, we will continue publishing the print version of ASJ as long as we can turn a profit.

That said, I think it would be folly to continue to rely completely on advertising revenue to keep us afloat.

Accordingly we have come up with an idea for another revenue stream that I’d love to hear your feedback on.

For years now we have been selling our trademarked “Earn Your Beer” T-shirts at outdoor events and festivals. What if we also started selling these and our other shirts online? We have seen companies like Life is Good do well in this space. What if we could help support our mission to get people outside and keep ASJ going through revenue from T-shirt sales?

In my research I have found a supplier for T-shirts made from 100% recycled materials, and I have been impressed with the softness of the material.

Could we help promote sustainable clothing while adding a new revenue stream to help us maintain and even expand the print version of ASJ? Is this a good idea? If you have any suggestions please send me an email.

If on the other hand you think this is a terrible idea, I’d like to hear that perspective too. More generally, what is your digital compromise? How do you balance your life in the digital age?

Send me an email, I’d love to hear from you: matt@adventuresportsjournal.com.

—Matt Niswonger

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6 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

Campfire memories from Sea Otter, 2017. ASJ editor, Matt Niswonger on the plasitc horn.

Letters to the Editor

INBOX

In response to Editor’s Note #103 The Digital Apocalypse DIGITAL HEALTH CRISIS We didn’t have portable tiny screens holding us captive when I was growing up. That said, I have not found myself immune from the seductive allure of society’s digital demise. Your article was refreshing, blunt, edgy and totally right on! These “smart” phones, laptops, pads and computers are fun, convenient and pure evil. I will publicly admit to the fact that I have walked into parked cars twice while looking at my phone instead of the road ahead. The second time, I knocked my glasses off by hitting a parked truck with my down turned head. Smart indeed!

Many kids today will never learn the sheer joy of holding a book or a magazine such as yours ... which is wonderful btw. I picked up your publication at a local store and found each page had something of interest to me.

I sadly believe that paper communication will soon go the way of phonographs, land lines and face to face communication. Everyone should experience the smell of a hard back or the sound of a needle hitting vinyl.

One of the most important tragedies regarding the digital Apocalypse is the declining health of those addicted to their screens. Countless hours spent staring at a glowing image while the eyes lose the ability to focus on distant objects and the fast twitch muscles become extinct because of non use. The health crisis brought on by digital use is already here and we have yet to know the final impact on society and on the planet!

So please keep printing this great resource magazine, because people need to know where the trees and rivers are! Kids and adults MUST get out and experience rafting, camping, climbing, hiking and biking.

Don’t give up ... we, all of us, need you!

— Karyn Maynard, Lincoln

PRINT IS MO BETTA! Love your large format as it lends to huge action shot spreads and articles.

Many of your photos and covers end up pinned up on my walls as daily reminders of what I need to be doing more of, getting out into the ever important Mother Nature.

The incessant buzz of electronics, lights, computer screens is more akin to that of a robot. The crashing of waves and blowing of wind sounds more humanesque to me; more sane. So thank you for helping me motivate and find some balance in my life. I for one , 36, will never not love print. Mo betta!

-Jason, SF PLEASE DON’T GO I think I’ve grabbed nearly every copy of your paper. Maybe it takes me a month to finally noodle through it, but I always get to the main stuff. I guess I’m old enough to like tangible things, without clickbait. It’s interesting that I used to complain about the papers in the 90s, when I thought they were putting ads in front of my eyes too much. But nowadays with internet news, it’s easy to be ADD reading an article, partially, and then skipping to two others. Hopefully, there’s still enough of a fanbase left in Pre Generation X years, to keep you supported. I have always enjoyed your paper, so please don’t go.

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—Brian Anderson, Scotts Valley I’LL PAY FOR PRINT Great Editor’s Note in ASJ #103. Funny that it takes the internet to support your campaign to keep ASJ in the print media, though.

Please keep this magazine available in ink. I’d even pay some change to buy it if necessary.

— Patrick Kaulback, Pleasant Hill

COVER TO COVER I felt the need to write to you after reading your opening article in Issue #103. I too am fed up with the digital world, yet here I am on my phone writing this email. I enjoy reading your journal on paper (usually in the bathroom), and use your event calendars to plan our weekends.

My wife and I have been married 10 years as of June, and we still don’t have children.

This may sound silly to a lot of people, but social media is one of the main reasons we don’t want children (along with being selfish with our free time). The thought of having to regulate their screen usage or involvement online sounds like torture. We have to regulate ourselves with screen time, and the last thing we want to do is battle with a teenager for their attention over their phone. I’m sure kids can be rewarding sometimes, but I’m assuming phones have made kids even less enjoyable.

I really enjoy sitting down and reading your magazine from cover to cover, in person, without a screen. Please know that your incredible hard work is appreciated.

— Joe Stephenson, Reno THE PRESSURE TO GO DIGITAL I like the print version and would never read ASJ on a phone or tablet. It is sad to hear about the pressure you are under to go the way of digital, but I am not surprised. We are a dying breed. I hope you will keep the print going ... I will keep reading!

if you don’t vote, you don’t love america.

— Angela, Santa Cruz www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com

7

I TAKE A CLOSER LOOK WITH PRINT I sat down to read Adventure Sports Journal the other night and was looking closely at the cover photo—trying to determine how I felt about the dude’s full body garment on the surfboard. But the light wasn’t great, so I grabbed the Petzl that I keep by my bed as a reading light for a closer look. The drama here isn’t his garb. It starts with his face; and then goes down to his toes glistening in perfect focus. Then it runs backwards on his board as it dissolves into watery translucence and froth. So, I don’t dig the garb—but I do like the photo. And seeing it beautifully reproduced in large format print made me look, see and feel in a way no other media can.

Keep up the good work and enjoy the journey. Your magazine helps me enjoy mine.

— Ed Durkee, Santa Cruz

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 ISSUE #104

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YURI

READING PRINT IS RELAXING I hear you about the pitfalls of the digital age and just a few weeks ago I made the hard step and cut loose from facebook and told Mark Zuckerberg to screw himself. I just got back from Asheville NC and dont remember seeing everyone there glued to their phones the way we are and they were much more apt to make eye contact and talk with strangers. It was weird coming home because all of a sudden our little slice of paradise didn’t seem as friendly in comparison.

Just tonight at my favorite local taqueria I grabbed the latest copy of ASJ and was relieved to see it because otherwise I would have probably pulled my phone out and surfed the web. There’s something pleasing about flipping the pages of a hard copy while I’m eating and it’s relaxing whereas flicking around on the phone is work and I for one would probably not go online to read articles from a magazine. It makes sense to get the latest news via the internet but that’s about it. My vote is to keep the printed version as it reaches out to a lot of locals.

Good luck weighing your options.

— Carl Reuter, Santa Cruz

hauswald gravel grinder

ASJ INSPIRES ME TO GET OUTSIDE I am a 36 year old, hard working mama who loves to read this free and inspiring journal. I first picked it up at the gym some years back and am now getting ready for my first through hike on the Tahoe Rim Trail as I live close by.

I’ve always loved camping and hiking as a kid or with my kids but I am now just taking my love of outdoors a step further.

I enjoy reading this in print at the gym or at the pool or local lake. It gives me ideas and I’m able to find things to do that suit me and my family or just get inspiration from it.

I’m doing this hike solo as my teenagers refuse to go without complaint and fear their phones may not work. I only hope one day they learn from example and see the beauty when you peer up from the tiny screen, whether it’s in the city jungle or the JMT. Take care and happy trails!

— Amber Katz, Roseville PRINT IS TANGIBLE I sure hope not. While digital media has made some things better, I don’t think the reading experience as a whole has been improved in the digital realm. I have a Kobo digital reader (ePaper, not backlit blue screen) and it works well for bringing huge volumes of reading material in a small package. It doesn’t replace the tangible pleasure of holding and leafing through a real book; graphic novels are only worthwhile in print; and I would argue that a large format magazine with photos (such as yours) is best in print.

I will sit in a camp chair and enjoy your articles outside while I sip a morning cup of coffee. My phone doesn’t provide that same experience. A book or magazine, for me, fits into my outdoor experience.

A digital device and its attention consuming design just gets between me and everything else. And everything else is what I’m out there for.

Please keep going with print if you are able, some experiences are worth keeping.

Thanks for all that you do!

— Brad Cramer, Scotts Valley

RIDING THE

REDWOODS FOR THE LOVE OF CLIMBING seth zaharias CLIMBING INJURY PREVENTION

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OUTRIGGER GOLD AT AGE 76 barbara leites KIM MORIARITY making a difference

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Mail a check for $20 to PO Box 35, Santa Cruz, CA 95063 along with subscriber name & address, or order online at

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8 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

PRINT ONLY, PLEASE Enjoyed your Editor’s Note. I struggle myself with this digital apocalypse. Recently I took a four month social media vacation. It felt good, no attachments to the daily mobile drug; but not as fulfilling as I imagined, as family, friends and everyone around me were still buried in their phones.

It’s definitely a major social behavior shift in the history of Homo sapiens. And one that I know I’ll continue to struggle with. Ironically, I’m writing you this email from my phone while sitting on the beach reading your print magazine.

Still, please save yourself the stress — and focus only on the printed magazine. I’ve enjoyed your magazine for years, which I always pick up in some shop, bring home — and then share with my husband and our housemates. Sometimes, I’ll save them in a small stack and revisit an article months or even a year later.

Never once have I looked online or on social media for your magazine. Because I much prefer to have it in my hands. I love the size of the pages. I love being able to take my time looking through it, carefully reviewing every article and advertisement — without giving myself a “blue screen” headache.

By the way, if it means anything to your advertisers, I am 100% more likely to shop a brand I see advertised in print than online. I can’t explain it. I just feel less “sold to” when I see it in print.

Thanks for a great publication. Best of luck!

— Kimberly White, Santa Cruz

110% MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER BRANDS IN PRINTED PUBLICATIONS I just read your Editor’s Note in the June/July issue of the Adventure Sports Journal and I completely agree with you!! I work in the coffee and cycling industries and regularly seek out printed material for the knowledge shared, the pleasure of the written experience, and the beauty of a real publication. I have always loved printed word even as a kid when I subscribed to many outdoor and adventure publications.

My fiancée works in tech here in the Bay Area and I am constantly reminded of not only how addictive technology is for all users as you wrote about, but also how negative and life-consuming it is for the individuals working behind the scenes. I agree with your statement that the internet has to a large extent stopped making life better for us and is now detracting from quality-of-life.

Regarding your point about advertisers; I am 110% more likely to remember a brand and to subsequently support that brand that I see in a printed publication. The attention and focus brought to a printed publication is so much greater that readers cannot help but to retain names and advertisements. This happened just the other day when I was buying a 6-pack. I was deciding between Sierra and 10 Barrell Brewery and I bought 10 Barell because I remembered seeing their ads in a mountain biking magazine I subscribe to. And it is happening right now, as I write this looking at your Editor’s Note, I see that Big Agnes, the camping supply company has an ad on that page. Just this week I was looking for new camping pads and now I will very likely buy one from Big Agnes because I see they support ASJ! Please share this perspective next time you get skepticism from a marketing manager.

Thank you and your family for all that you do publishing ASJ! Since moving to the Bay a few years ago your publication has been one of my favorite things! I love reading the localized outdoor knowledge and the California outdoor history you publish!

Publications like yours contribute greatly to the outdoor activities we love by sustaining stoke and sharing valuable information which oftentimes does not cross into our highly siloed lives.

Keep up the excellent work!!!

— Daniel Hadley, Sunnyvale EACH NEW PRINT EDITION IS AN EVENT I look forward to every new issue. Online stuff just gets tossed in with all the other junk. But each new print is an event.

And you can’t possibly squeeze all those beautiful photos the of the Sierras, California Coast and Rivers into my phone.

Just rode the Carson Epic yesterday then bought a Heck Yeah t-shirt from your wife.

I really appreciate the work you and your family do. Keep stoked and don’t give up!

I PICK UP EVERY ISSUE OF ASJ Thanks for our “Digital Apocalypse” editor’s letter. I couldn’t agree more.

While there are benefits to ‘digital’ publishing and the reach social media can afford in contributing voices to important discussion and dialog, too much is too much and the addictive dark side is a constant pressure for all our families.

I love the print version. I pick up every issue. I love the physical connection in reading the pages, the stories, the images. Through the print version, you and your team make a connection with readers, with the community, inspiring people and drawing us outdoors.

Keep the print!

— Jim Claussen, Santa Cruz BLOW UP YOUR CELL PHONES Replying to you via the internet agreeing of how crazy it’s become is a sad reflection of just how crazy it really has become!

A close friend’s teenage son riding his skateboard last year, struck and killed by a car while he gazed at his cell phone and missed the red light he should have stopped for. That tragedy and also the poor woman that hit him now has to live with the horror of seeing him crushed beneath the car she was driving.

There was a saying in the sixties... “Blow Up Your TV” Blow Up Your Cell Phones instead !

MARKETERS WANT DATA Ironically I am reading your mag while sitting in Bend, OR, dropping off my 14 year old son for an Outward Bound trip to get him outside and off his damn iPad. My kids are 12, 14 & 16 and I feel your pain.

I love the print version and know that I wouldn’t get around to reading any of this online.

I wish I had an instant answer. I’ve been in marketing for years (in the B2B tech), but I did spend my last two years working on social media marketing.

Do you offer a package deal where companies can get a bundle of digital and print ads for one price?

The reason that marketers are going to choose digital is that they have to come back to the boss and tell them how many leads and sales are from the marketing money they spent. Maybe print advertisers can offer a discount for readers? Ugh, such a difficult problem.

I’m sorrry it’s keeping you all from enjoying your work.

— Kristin Higgins, Redwood City I APPRECIATE THE PRINT EDITION Just writing to say that I appreciate the print issue. I live in Chico and I always grab the new issue when I see it.

Thanks!

— Ben Nielsen, Chico

— Dave Gunall, Brooking, OR

— Brian Wilkerson, San Rafael

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ONLINE ADS ARE ANNOYING Yes, I believe print media will go the way of the Dodo. But I will not be fine without it. I already miss it. Reading online with those annoying pop up ads catered to what they think I will buy is very distracting. I used to be an avid reader of novels on a regular basis. Now I can’t even sit down long enough to focus on a novel for more than five minutes, unless I’m out camping by myself. I call this adult ADHD. A result of technology. I am 46 and old school and even I am not immune to the bad habits of this technology. Yet, try finding a job nowadays without the internet, etc.

And what happens when my Apple 4s phone dies (which it is) and I now have to come up with $800 to buy a stupid phone! Are you kidding me? I could go without, but not even sure landlines exist anymore? It’s definitely not the 90s anymore … and never will be again.

But for the time being, I will continue to enjoy your magazine in print. Best of luck!

— Michelle Nussle, Aptos EAGERLY LOOK FORWARD TO PRINT I received my subscription of ASJ this evening, and just got through your editor’s note and have to point out one glaring error — you forgot to mention those of us who pay for the print copy!

“If you are reading this article in print, we appreciate that. You picked up ASJ in a coffee shop, or a climbing gym, or brought a copy home from REI.” Kidding aside, I do appreciate printed content. I went to your website once or twice, but haven’t been back since subscribing to the print copy. I really enjoy the print ads for events and tourism. I can hand it to my ten year old son and say, “Doesn’t this place look cool?!?”

Anyway, long story short, I’m with you, and we all need a break from the internet. The Bike Monkey magazine was my first cycling related print mag, and was sad to see that go. But I eagerly look forward to print copies of ASJ and Freehub Magazine.

With continued support, — Matt Leonard, San Mateo I COME AWAY FROM ASJ WITH STOKE I’ve been a long time reader, supporter, contributor, and stoked fan of ASJ. I’ve never read the publication online. I prefer greatly to read awesome stories of people connecting with the land and water through super human feats, on paper. Thank you for all your hard work. I always come away from reading ASJ with a ton of stoke and a bit more educated. Please keep printing. I’m going climbing.

— Paul Allen, Santa Cruz

DIGITAL MEDIA IS UNFOCUSED First of all, thank you for your wellcrafted and exquisitely stated editorial in the latest issue of ASJ. As a self-employed individual in the sports industry (professional equestrian), I agree wholeheartedly with your assertion that digital media has made our lives worse, not better. It has made them unfocused, stressful, distracted, and unsatisfying.

At least that is how I feel most days when I feel pulled in so many directions mandated by social media and updating my professional Facebook and Instagram sites, which I cannot convincingly say improve my business in a measurable way.

To answer the question you posed in your editorial, I do NOT think print media is dead. Nor will I personally allow it to die, at least not without a kicking and scratching fight. I always keep an eye out for new issues of ASJ at the local health food stores and bike shops and I eagerly snatch it up when it arrives. For what it’s worth, I have never been to your web site nor your social media feed. In fact, I hardly visit ANYONE’s feeds because I notice what a frazzled/distracted/timestarved person I become when I plug in to the limitless platforms that exist online. I limit myself to print media because a.) I love it, b.) I hate staring at screens, and c.) it co-exists with my desire to live a slower, more mindful life.

Thank you for fighting the brave fight.

Now, onward.

NOT ATTACHED TO DIGITAL & HAPPY! Hi. I’m an avid mt. biker and hiker (mostly in Nisene Marks, UCSC & Wilder), and enjoy reading your magazine a lot.

But I probably wouldn’t read it as much, if you didn’t have the printed version.

I’m not much of a computer person, which I’m really happy about. And I also have a cell phone for just texting and phone. I’m sorry for your dilemma with aforementioned e-industry. It’s the angel and the devil all at the same time.

And one other thing ... the guy that blasted you in issue #103 in regards to the homeless, is full of crap. That’s a whole different subject for another time.

Enjoy the rides!

And thanks for publishing a really cool and interesting magazine.

— Pete Hosea, Watsonville THE DIGITAL ALTERNATIVE IS DISMAL As hypocritical as it is, here I am sending you this message from my phone to say that I could not agree more strongly with your words in the Editor’s Note of the June/July 2018 ASJ issue. I humbly beg you to keep forging on with the print format as the alternative is dismal from my perspective. In the bigger picture, I guess we all need to enjoy our hypocrisies to some degree in order to get by.

Thanks for the effort, it’s worth it.

— Joe Oliver, Bear Valley

—Jec Ballou, Santa Cruz

Savor The Adventure

™

www.MountainHouse.com

10 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

EACH NEW PRINT EDITION IS AN EVENT I look forward to every new issue. Online stuff just gets tossed in with all the other junk. But each new print is an event. And you can’t possibly squeeze all those beautiful photos of the Sierra, California Coast and Rivers into my phone. I just rode the Carson Epic yesterday then bought a Heck Yeah t-shirt from your wife. I really appreciate the work you and your family do. Keep stoked and don’t give up! ­— Brian Wilkerson, San Rafael USE YOUR EXPERIENCE AND ADAPT There is a quote, often attributed to Darwin, which was actually spoken by a guy named Leon Megginson, a professor at LSU who was trying to synthesize Darwin’s entire message in “The Origin of the Species” down to one short statement. At the time Megginson spoke these words social media did not exist, but he showed prescience in keeping the number of characters to just under the limit, ensuring future propagation.

“It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.”

Adapt.

Imagine how you look to someone starting out today in the Adventure Junky News business. You’ve got industry contacts who are already paying for the eyeballs you attract. You’ve got an infrastructure that churns out exceptional content. You’ve got the one thing money can’t buy.... experience. Hell, you’ve got three kids who can’t put down the devices. Use that. Free labor. Assign them each a platform and rename them Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Life can be a drag or it can be an adventure. It all comes down to how you choose to look at it.

— Rich Ligato, San Diego A PERFECT CURE I was just settling into the serenity and calm of reading the latest magazine and even though I was excited to be off of my device, I opened up the bright little screen again just to say that I believe print media needs to stay! I notice addictive tendencies in my phone use and books, magazines, and time in nature are the perfect cure. Trying extra hard to curb my phone use lately as I don’t want my young baby to be exposed to so much digital STUFF and grow up on a phone instead of playing in the dirt like I did. Also weary of EMFs coming from all the devices. I could go on... internet is great but I prefer the magazine for sure.

— Anastasiya Bachmanova, Santa Cruz

DIGITAL WORLD IS A TSUNAMI The digital world is a scary tsunami.

We picked your magazine up at REI (they had an excellent bike for our seven year old.) We vote for paper and will support ASJ advertisers. The addiction to screens is most frightful especially when we see a toddler glued to one. We have family members who are also incapacitated in this manner and unfortunately some make their living creating more of that addictive content.

— Celia and Jay Boyle, Palo Alto p.s. Loved the cat on the PCT story!

QUIT SOCIAL MEDIA Matt, just quit social media.

Be the guy that bucks the “new system” (which is loose code for “screw you”) and stop it.

I’m an indie filmmaker. I prefix indie because I don’t want you to think I’m rich and don’t know hard work.

I came here to make a feature film in Santa Cruz next fall – I don’t know how but I believe that I will ... so, I moved here.

Now, I could, in theory, just hangout in LA and write dumb scripts for web content or cable shows – movies are a dying art form, don’t you know? But I just can’t.

Quit the nonsense. I support you.

Others will support you.

It’s time to wrestle with this monster.

It’ll be okay.

I promise. ­— Travis Lipski, Santa Cruz

PHONE AS A TOOL, NOT A NECESSITY I’m a periodic reader of ASJ whenever I manage to get somewhere that has a copy. Thank you for your “Digital Apocalypse” editorial. I was born in the last year of the 70s and grew up with memories of the late 80s and early 90s. I’ve never known life without computers, but I’ve seen it change. I too find it difficult to put the screen down from time to time, but it’s getting easier to have my phone as a tool and not a necessity. I just wanted to say thank you for the print edition of ASJ and I for one will always prefer the paper version.

-Ryan Swift Editor’s Note: Thanks to all of our readers who wrote in to show your support for Adventure Sports Journal.

It’s great to hear from you. We have read each and every one of your letters and sorry we couldn’t get all of them on our pages.

We were able to share some of your feedback with potential new customers at Outdoor Retailer. It was great having something we could hand to them and say “Here is what our readers have to say about digital media.” We were happy to turn the conversation away from their digital marketing strategies and encourage them to be a part of grassroots media and help get people off of their phones.

Most of our advertisers are long time customers. If you know of any other businesses that you think should be a part of our tribe please let them know.

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11

Charles Cole

photo courtesy Five Ten

Ear to the Ground

Photo courtesy Yuri Hauswald

GU Energy Labs Leads Death Ride Clean Up

News & notes from the outdoor industry

Yosemite Legend and Five Ten Founder Charles Cole Dies

The founder of the climbing shoe company Five Ten, Charles Cole III, died at his home in Redlands, California on July 14 at age 63. Cole was a bold Yosemite climber with multiple El Cap first ascents and also held two college degrees — one in mechanical engineering and the other in business. When Cole was 30 his father died and he knew he had to do something to help support his family.

Cole turned to his love of climbing and what he had learned in engineering and business school to invent what Five Ten is famous for — Stealth Rubber. This new compound was durable and sticky, perfect for climbing on slick rock. Stealth Rubber has come to be regarded as one of the stickiest rubber formulas in the world and Five Ten is now, in addition to the climbing industy, one of the leaders in the mountain biking category.

Cole is survived by his wife and three children.

California’s Proposition 68 Approved

Proposition 68 authorizes the state of California to borrow $4.1 billion for investments in outdoor recreation, land conservation and water projects. The measure passed with 56 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results. The measure lets California issue general obligation bonds to fund parks in underserved neighborhoods and provide money for flood-prevention and clean drinking water projects. It also includes $200 million to help preserve the state’s largest lake, the Salton Sea, which has been evaporating since San Diego’s regional water agency stopped sending it water.

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“When it comes to trash, GU Energy Labs likes to put its money where its mouth is, which means putting waste where it belongs,” says Yuri Hauswald, the sports nutrition company’s community development manager.

Four years ago, Hauswald launched the Death Ride post-event “clean up ride” with the help of fellow cyclist Colby Pastore and some junior Bear Development Team riders Hauswald sponsored.

This past weekend, Hauswald again led clean up efforts, scouring the course with four teams that collected eight bags of trash. Hauswald noted that most of the trash “was NOT left by cyclists.”

With Deathride event organizers being consistent in their messaging about litter, and riders becoming more responsible and conscientious with their sports nutrition waste, the amount of trash collected after the event has been diminishing over the years.

Photo: Kevin Shannon

Californians Vote for Cycling License Plate Design

California cycling enthusiasts can chime in on the design featured on a new DMV California Specialty License Plate (SLP) promoting cycling in California.

Funds generated will benefit the California Department of Public Health’s Nutrition Education Obesity Prevention Branch (NEOPB). Funds will be awarded as grants to state-wide coalitions, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations and county health departments that promote cycling as “a form of physical activity with an emphasis in physical literacy and in relation to the prevention of chronic disease.” Grants will also focus in creating safe places to ride bikes, earn-a-bike programs for at risk youth, cycling as an alternative mode of transportation and safety education for cyclists and drivers of automobiles.

Take the survey and learn more about this project at adventuresportsjournal. com/californians-vote-favorite-licenseplate-design-promote-cycling/.

CALIFORNIA’S TOP 25 ADVENTURE CHECKLIST:

Raft Tunnel Chute on the Middle Fork of the American River Hopper Adventures Gives Back to Lost Coast

Cycling race organizer Hopper Adventures has committed to making its Usal Hopper event “carbon neutral” by planting 200 redwood trees in the Usal Redwood Forest. Founder Miguel Crawfords says, “I’ve always believed in the importance of viewing the social and environmental impact of our travel and recreation. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the world and need to make the connection between our lifestyles and the impact on carbon emissions.”

Crawford points out that the planting of the trees will offset the carbon footprint of 125 people driving to and from the Bay Area. “What better way for a ‘carbon credit/tax’ than to plant trees in our own backyard!”

The Usal Hopper is presented by Hopper Adventures in partnership with Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. (RFFI) and Usal Redwoods, and offers a unique opportunity to ride this remote area in Northern California’s “Lost Coast.”

Learn more about the event on page 29.

Chantel Astorga Joins Mountain Equipment Team

Mountain Equipment — designer and manufacturer of outdoor apparel and accessories — recently welcomed Chantel Astorga to their pro athlete team. Astorga follows an illustrious line-up of alpinists who have chosen to work with the iconic British climbing brand throughout their 57 year history including Nick Bullock, Andy Parkin and Stephen Venables.

Described as currently one of the best female alpinists in the world, Astorga has a list of ascents from Alaska to the Himalaya to Yosemite that stand out not just for their difficulty but also for their style and levels of commitment.

Her impressive feats include first female ascents of routes on Denali as well as the first female link up of El Cap and Half Dome. She previously held the women’s speed record on the Nose and she has climbed El Cap alone 19 times in all including the first female solo of Mescalito.

Read more about Astorga in our profile: adventuresportsjournal.com/athleteprofile-chantel-astorga/.

REI Invests Over $600,000 In Rewilding Five US Cities

Patagonia and Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship Expand Partnership

Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) recently announced an expanded partnership with Patagonia, Inc., including environmental support grants, employee volunteer trail days and signing on as a major sponsor of the 23rd Annual Downieville Classic mountain bike race on August 3-5, 2018.

Patagonia’s Reno Service Center has been a long-time supporter of SBTS, organizing volunteer work days with their employees as well as awarding annual environmental grants. In addition to being the Adopt-a-Trail sponsor of Long Lake Connector trail since 2010, last fall Patagonia awarded SBTS a $13,500 grant to conduct watershed protection and habitat restoration in the Lakes Basin region of the Plumas National Forest – Beckwourth Ranger District.

Read the full story about this partnership at adventuresportsjournal. com/SBTS-Patagonia.

Five US cities will see urban and suburban areas transformed into areas for outdoor recreation, thanks in part to more than half a million dollars in grant funding from REI this year.

REI is investing a total of $603,000 in nonprofit partners, as part of the co-op’s rewilding efforts to provide better access to the outdoors in cities. This year’s investment marks the third year of a multiyear effort to increase outdoor recreation opportunities in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Since 2015, the co-op has contributed over $1.6 million to rewilding efforts.

“With our rewilding grants, our goal is to reimagine how people connect with the outdoors while living in large metropolitan areas,” said Kristen Ragain, REI philanthropy and community partnership manager. “As more of the population moves to urban areas, and cities continue to develop, it’s important to ensure there are outdoor spaces for people to enjoy the rewards and benefits of a life outdoors.”

Since 2015, REI has partnered with local nonprofits to help city-dwellers reconnect with nature. REI funds have supported the rewilding projects in Los Angeles (San Gabriel Mountains National Monument) and San Francisco (the Bay Area Ridge Trail).

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13

EPiC: Environmental Partnership Campaign

Channel Islands Restoration Saving the world one weed at a time Words by Leonie Sherman • Photos courtesy of CIR

Eighteen years ago, two guys with chainsaws and big hearts started cutting down invasive eucalyptus trees on Santa Cruz Island. Since then, Channel Islands Restoration, the nonprofit they started, has worked on projects on all eight of the Channel Islands, as well as almost a hundred mainland sites. They’ve created three localized greenhouses for native seed propagation, pulled out nearly a hundred thousand invasive tamarisk seedlings in Los Padres National Forest, removed three miles of non-native giant reed that was choking Carpinteria Creek, engaged thousands of volunteers and brought over 2,000 school kids out to the islands.

CIR has become the government’s go-to organization for habitat restoration on some of the most sensitive terrain in the Golden State, including Channel Islands National Park, California’s Galapagos Islands.

T

he Channels Islands, located just 25 miles from Ventura, are best known to ecologists and conservation biologists for the restoration success story of the tiny Channel Island fox, one of the smallest and rarest canines on the planet. Efforts to restore habitat damaged by ranching began with the removal of feral pigs and sheep. But DDT had wiped out the island’s bald eagle population decades earlier. Bald eagles are fishers, but the golden eagles who filled their ecological niche prey on mammals. In the absence of pigs and sheep they began decimating the island’s only native mammal — the Channel Island fox. In 1997 fewer than 200 remained. The National Park Service began a captive breeding program, captured the golden eagles and removed them from the island and released bald eagle chicks. Today the bald eagles have returned, the golden eagles are gone, and over 2,000 Channel Island fox roam the islands.

“When we first started working on the islands, people were mostly focusing on animal restoration, but these invasive eucalyptus trees were spreading and radically altering the ecology,” explains Ken Owen, Executive Director of CIR. Kate Simons, an early volunteer, asked Owen if he’d ever thought about writing a grant to expand the project. “I’d thought about it, but I didn’t know how to go about it,” admits Owen. Simons, who worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, knew how to go about writing grants. The first three she wrote were all funded.

14 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

“We were basically given an open door to come in and do some good for one of our favorite places,” says Owen.

NPS provided free boat transport twice a week, a UC Reserve provided on-island housing and vehicles, and the Nature Conservancy, which owns three quarters of the park’s largest island, provided access and staff time. “We had so much cooperation that we could just go out there with 20 volunteers for four days and take out a thousand trees. Those first grants kept us working on the island for nearly ten years.”

Between 2002, when they got their first grant, and 2008, when CIR incorporated as a non-profit, they removed over 30,000 small eucalyptus trees from Santa Cruz Island. NPS invited them to work on Santa Rosa Island and Anacapa Islands. In 2004, they began a contract on the Navy-owned San Nicolas Island, where they just finished planting three miles of native plants along the path of a new pipeline. And in their spare time they picked up restoration work on the mainland. “All our work serves multiple purposes,” says Owen. “We choose our sites carefully to benefit rare species, but also to reduce erosion. “ One of their most rewarding sites is the San Marcos Foothills, an Open Space Preserve in Santa Barbara County. CIR’s work there centers on protecting Atascadero Creek. CIR volunteers and staff focused on restoring the meadow between the creek and a trail, to

This page, top to bottom: Inspiration Point, one of the most iconic vistas in Channel Islands National Park; volunteers remove iceplant from around giant coreopsis.

Opposite page, clockwise from top: Volunteers plant native plants under the guidance of CIR staff; Students learn about the natural history of Anacapa Island; A cute fox, endemic to San Nicolas Island; Volunteers install erosion control in the SRI Cloud Forest; CIR staff survey the Sisquoc River watershed for invasive tamarisk by horseback; Native plant nursery where the organization grows its plants for restoration sites.

act as a buffer and protect the riparian zone. They started by pulling invasive black mustard, castor bean, fennel, and some tree tobacco that was strangling the meadow.

Then they planted a mix of seedlings, including California sunflower, three different sages, coyote bush, and giant wild rye. ”At first the natives required careful weeding and watering, but now they are thriving independently,” explains CIR Outreach Coordinator Tanner Yould. “If you go out to where we’ve planted, you can see California quail, scrub jays, rabbits, coyote ... the place is just scurrying with life. But on the other side of the trail, there are no animals, no birds, just a field of invasive choking plants.”

“We’re kind of like habitat for humanity, but for animals,” Yould continues. “We’re out there, building homes for animals, creating refuges where they can be safe and thrive.” He especially appreciates how direct local action

impacts global trends. “We are in the middle of the sixth mass extinction on this planet, where we are losing biodiversity at a shocking rate,” he explains. Previous mass extinctions were caused by asteroids or super volcanoes, but the culprit for this modern iteration is human activity.

“Thinking about that mass extinction is totally overwhelming. But then I can go out to Atascadero Creek and see a place we’ve created that directly combats this problem.”

He’s not the only staff member who finds deeper meaning in habitat restoration.

Elihu Gevirtz, CIR’s Senior Ecologist, has worked with plants for 29 years and been a rabbi for six. “My work with Channel Islands Restoration is about taking care of creation,” explains Gevirtz, “It’s an expression of my spiritual life.” Almost 40 years ago he visited Los Padres National Forest for the first time as part of a class.

“I saw God expressed in nature there,” Gervitz says. “It was the beginning of a journey that led to my studies in biology, time in the back-country and a career in ecology. It also led me back to school to become a rabbi. And now here I am working on a big restoration project in Los Padres National Forest, removing tamarisk.

It’s a circular story that extends 36 years.”

For Owen, originally inspired by plants and animals, working with volunteers is an unexpected reward of his job. “We always

have such a good time together!” he says with a laugh. “It’s extremely hard work.

We have 75 year olds out there with rock bars breaking up compacted soil, dealing with howling winds, but they’re always so satisfied. On the last day they always want to do a little bit more work before they go home.”

“Our staff and volunteers have become like a family,” explains Owen. “We really love each other. Generally we’re all likeminded people, but I’ve had a Trump supporter on my board. We don’t agree on anything politically but he’s a true conservationist. He loves nature and so do I. We’re not just saving the environment, we’re creating a community of people who share a vision and are working towards a better world.”

And he’s finally realized his dream of teaching future generations to be responsible stewards of the planet. In addition to in-class presentations, CIR has taken nearly 2400 kids from low income schools to do service learning projects on the islands. “A lot of these kids from Ventura and Oxnard have never been to a beach before. They’ve never been on a boat before, or visited a national park.

These places blow their minds,” Owen says with a happy sigh. ”And then after a tour and a nice lunch they get to contribute.

They’re learning directly about how they can save the world, one weed at time.”

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15

Riding the Redwoods Exploring Northern California’s Big Trees

By Bike and On Foot Words and photos Leonie Sherman

When does the fog rolling in off the coast become mist and when does that mist become drizzle?

How big do the droplets need to be before it’s full on rain? And at what point on that spectrum does an unprotected camper need to seek shelter? These are the questions that ran through my mind as I regained consciousness in a soggy sleeping bag just north of the California border, at the start of a weeklong hike and bike journey through Del Norte and Humboldt Counties.

I

n one hundred miles between Brookings, Oregon and Arcata, California, there are four state parks, three county parks, two state beaches and one national park. Miles of hiking trails wind through neck-straining groves of ancient trees, to hidden waterfalls and windy overlooks, past carpets of wildflowers. The nation’s largest lagoon system is bordered by stretches of deserted beach that fade into fog and towering trees. Single tracks and secondary paved roads provide scenic alternatives to Highway 1. You could bike the entire distance in a single day. My friend Tanya and I took five. We were interested in making memories, not miles.

Along this stretch of rocky steep coast, studded with sea stacks and intersected by broad rivers, there are a hundred words for precipitation. But that moisture burns off every day, leaving bluebird afternoon skies and awe-inspiring sunsets. Cool temperatures provide the perfect conditions for riding, or hiking, or an afternoon yoga session, or lolling on a deserted beach. Sunblock won’t be

a concern. And those gloomy summer mornings allow giants to thrive.

Ancient redwoods grow from the extreme southwest corner of Oregon to Monterey County, in a thin strip of temperate terrain almost 500 miles long and five to fifty miles wide, never more than 2,500 feet above sea level. A single tree can drink over 100 gallons a day. In winter they are nourished by torrential rain; last year Humboldt County recorded over 150 inches. During dry summer months they rely on coastal moisture — their uppermost needles can pull the stuff right out of the sky so they don’t need to transport it hundreds of feet against gravity.

They are the oldest and tallest trees on the planet, living over 2,000 years and growing almost 400 feet tall. Fossil records indicate they’ve been around 170 million years, when their range covered much of Europe and Asia. Before the gold rush invasion — just 170 years ago — Sequoia sempervirens, the ever-living giant, occupied about two million acres along what is now the California coast.

Ancient redwoods grow from the extreme southwest corner of Oregon to Monterey County, in a thin strip of temperate terrain almost 500 miles long and five to fifty miles wide, never more than 2,500 feet above sea level.

16 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

Less than 5% of that remains today. Most of the protected 110,000 acres of old growth redwoods left on the planet are in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.

The mild climate and abundant moisture of these counties also allow humans to flourish. The region’s original inhabitants, the Yurok, lived in permanent villages along the coast and the Klamath River for thousands of years before European contact. They maintained balance through good stewardship, hard work, wise laws and constant prayers to the Creator.

Their traditional ceremonies brought neighboring tribes together in seasonal celebrations. The arrival of Europeans brought disease and massacres. By 1910, only about 700 Yurok survived on the reservation bordering a 44-mile stretch of the Klamath River. Despite poverty and lack of basic services the tribe is enjoying a resurgence and recommitment to sacred traditions. Today nearly 5,000 people are enrolled in the Yurok tribe and it’s the largest Native American tribe in California.

Our journey began near the northern boundary of their ancestral territory.

Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, 10,000 acres of fern draped canyons and old growth, lay about 25 miles to the south. Smith was a profit-driven fur trapper known for murdering natives and general surliness. In 1826 his party of explorers became the first white men to reach California overland. Six years later he disappeared while scouting for water; his company learned he had been killed

Top Image: Hiker biker camp in Jedediah Smith State Park.

Above: Après lunch boulder traverse of an old growth (Tanya Stillerg).Opposite page clockwise from top: Hiker biker camp at Gold Bluffs, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park; Hiking among the ancients is a humbling experience that inspires reverence; Biking the Streelow Creek Trail, Redwood National Park.

by Comanches in what is now Kansas. As the miles rolled away beneath our tires, Tanya and I passed harbors, beaches and rocky headlands. We watched gulls wheel overhead and savored a panoramic vista where river and ocean meet before reaching the bustling metropolis of Smith River, population 866.

Just south of town we left the coast and turned east to follow a short section of the longest undammed river in the state.

The Smith River carves a broad swath past steep canyon walls through dense forest along highway 197. We paused to loll on the beach and contemplate the emerald

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They are the oldest and tallest trees on the planet, living over 2,000 years and growing almost 400 feet tall. Fossil records indicate they’ve been around 170 million years, when their range covered much of Europe and Asia. pools at the 50 acre Ruby Van DeVenter County Park. Ruby was a botanist who collected over 4,000 specimens of native plants from the wilderness around her Del Norte homestead. Her contributions to understanding the flora of this area are legendary and the idyllic park named after her hosts a few campsites and a lovely picnic area.

At the entrance station to the state park we paid $5 each for a hike and bike camp site, situated far from the rumble of generators at the $35 sites in the main campground. Campgrounds along this popular section of coast can be booked out six months in advance, but a biker or backpacker can often find a site the same night. Our spot was nestled beneath towering ancients, a three minute walk from the placid river. All the folks you want to meet are hanging out in the hike and bike campsite; our nearest neighbor was a Finnish vegan adventure writer hitchhiking the coast solo before section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

After dinner, a stroll through the forest brought us to the edge of the river. We hiked along the rocky beach past psychedelic driftwood to the main campground and the evening campfire presentation, where we learned about

Doug Fir loving tree voles, the Humboldt flying squirrel, the corvid invasion of old growth forests (they’re attracted by the lure of easy food that accompanies increased human activity) and the endangered marbled murrelet, a football shaped puffin relative that nests high in the canopy of old growth trees. When our brains were full and the sun had set we stumbled through the darkened forest to a peaceful slumber at the feet of giants.

The next day we biked east on Highway 199 to an interpretive trail along Myrtle Creek, a serpentine hillside draped in magenta rhododendrons, fragrant western azaleas, pale irises, sticky monkey flower and foxglove. Another hour of riding brought us to a short loop hike through an ancient grove and the perfect spot for a picnic lunch. Our days fell into a relaxed rhythm of riding and hiking, dirt roads and single track, meandering trails, crumbling golden cliffs, enchanted waterfalls, deserted beaches and brackish lagoons. Every night the roar of crashing waves lulled us to sleep. Every morning the lilt of fluted birdsong brought us back to the world. We reached Arcata grateful for a restaurant and a bed, but already plotting the next redwood hike and bike extravaganza.

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17

Beyond Tape

New book focuses on climbing injuries and how to prevent them in the first place

By Bruce Willey

Full disclosure is necessary in both climbing and journalism. After all, it was the great Gaston Rébuffat, who remarked, “Climbing is, above all, a matter of integrity.” So let’s get something out in the open: I first met Mike Gable, author of Beyond Tape: The Guide to Climbing Injury Treatment and Prevention when he was my physical therapist more than a decade ago.

G

able was trying to wring out a pesky and painful frozen shoulder, AKA adhesive capsulitis, the result (I think) of a climbing trip to Sardinia pulling on one kind of stone for more than a month: Limestone. We met twice a week in the Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop where he practiced at the time (Gable has a private practice now, also in Bishop) and he applied all kinds of treatments to the stubborn shoulder. I was at my wits’ end.

I couldn’t much raise my left hand to the

18 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

top of my head without feeling as though the shoulder joint was filled with shards of hastily ground pine cones.

Defying doctor’s orders, I was still climbing, reaching high with the good shoulder and using the bad to stabilize. I developed an awkward climbing style that was hardly stylish but it got me up things for over a year. I was starting to get used to it. Gable was the only medical practitioner who didn’t actively discourage me from climbing.

After a couple of months of PT with no apparent improvement, a sports medicine doctor suggested a surgery which would entail putting me to sleep and wrenching the shoulder free with brute force. This didn’t sound appealing in the slightest and so with all things that sound un-fun, I procrastinated.

Leading a mixed route on the Mammoth Crest one day, I placed a piece of pro in a fist-sized splitter that led 20 feet up the chains. Ten or so feet above my last piece

my right foot slipped, while my left hand stayed solidly locked in the crack. All of this happened in slow-mo as most whippers tend to do, and as my body fell past my left arm I heard the grating sound of a frozen shoulder violently melting, then the hand finally popping out of the crack, and then at long last the catch of the rope. The fall was exactly – and not anything like – the surgery the doctor had suggested might cure the shoulder.

Once the adrenalin wore off the pain felt huge. But by the next day it was noticeably better. A few days later I was reaching holds high above my head almost as if I’d never had the ailment.

The frozen shoulder may have been beyond the scope of physical therapy, but

Main Image: Austin Archer at Pine Creek, Sun Kissed 5.12c (Rick Ziegler). Left: Keith Rainville’s drop knee at the Happy Boulders, The Gleaner (Mike Gable) Above: Sample illustration from the book.

Right: Beyond Tape is available at easternsierrapt.com and amazon.com.

I still held a lot of gratitude for Gable’s caring advice. So I invited him to climb Cardinal Pinnacle up canyon from town, his first multi-pitch climb. We’ve been friends ever since.

So the gist of the above cautionary tale and book review below is … well, had Gable written this book ten years ago I might never have met him because I might never have gotten a frozen shoulder in the first place because I would have read about the importance of warming up the joints before climbing and other helpful advice on preventing climbing injuries. All conjecture for sure, if for no other reason than Bishop is a small town filled with either climbers or mules—and those that fall somewhere in between the spectrum.

Skip ahead ten years later. Gable is now laid up from a climbing injury of his own and with a newborn baby that takes enough naps to get some work done. He sees a need for an all-inclusive book on climbing injuries and how to prevent them. So he begins researching the current medical sources on climbing injuries which has exploded in recent years, almost keeping pace, it seems, with climbing’s popularity.

Well-documented mainstream sports like

FIVE TIPS TO AVOID REPETITIVE CLIMBING INJURIES

1 2

The warm up is crucial, with the recommendation being 8-12 easy boulder problems or 3-4 easy routes.

Vary the type of climbing (bouldering, slab, crack, etc.) which has the additional benefit of improving performance and creating a more well rounded climber.

3

Body awareness: Recognize the signs (pain for example) our bodies send to let us know damage is being done and then having the foresight to not let our egos override those signals.

4 5

Limit the number of attempts per climbing session of a particular crux move or moves.

Being aware of and addressing your deficits (flexibility, posture, strength—especially of the antagonists, core, and legs which are easy to ignore).

See more of Gable’s work at easternsierrapt.com

tennis and football may have gotten all the medical affection in the past, but now climbing medical research was taking off.

Terms like “climbers back” and “pulleys” have entered the medical lexicon. There just wasn’t a book with all of the recent research in one place.

“My goal with the book was to put the current literature together in one place,” he says, “and provide people with simple treatments and prevention techniques they can use with minimal to no equipment.”

Beyond Tape features clear, wellorganized, and understandable examples of warm-up exercises, stretches, and holistic treatments. The book is heavily illustrated with pictures, most often with the anatomical models being the author and his wife Lori. And it’s not often that you get to see an author in short shorts but this 300-plus-page tome is a book of love aimed at healing the climbing community and Gable graciously donated his modesty to the project along with any net profits from the book to various nonprofit groups.

Gable thinks it’s important to “really look at the long game (of climbing) rather than the one boulder problem or long alpine ridge traverse.” The balance, he adds, is to “continue to strive for your goals while taking care of yourself.”

Though there’s nothing wrong with becoming an armchair mountaineer as we age, Beyond Tape is purposeful with the intent of keeping the armchair at bay for various sports enthusiasts. Many of the applicable treatments, preventions, and rehabilitations will easily apply to runners, surfers, mountain bikers, and the like.

Hailing from Bishop, Gable has seen his fair share of athletes that are absolutely crushing it in whatever sport they are doing—long past what is supposed to be their prime. But it all comes down to moderating injury, whether catastrophic injuries or over-use injuries.

“Life always provides the possibility of life-threatening circumstances that are out of our control,” Gable says. “I think that trying to mitigate those as much as possible is where preparedness and critical decision making can really make the difference between being able to return to climb another day … or not.”

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19

Seth Zaharias

Bringing people together with his zany personality and love of climbing

By Chris Van Leuven

Guiding, hiring a cliffside violinist, the ‘Sethspool,’ and all-night UFO-themed parties deep in the desert

R

aley’s grocery store, South Lake Tahoe.

It’s Thursday, midday, and Seth Zaharias is charging through aisles of foods and goods.

In one hand is his phone, which he dodges to and from his ear as he shares stories with me about his life. With his free hand, he pulls items from the shelves for an event he’s organizing for the coming weekend at nearby Lover’s Leap, a several-hundred-foot-tall climbing area in Lake Tahoe, frequented by visitors from all over the world. He only has two days left and everything has to be just right — one of his clients has asked him to arrange an eclectic, all-frills vertical outing, where the client will be proposing to his girlfriend. Over the phone, his excitement is so intense — nervous, even — that it could be Zaharias who is getting hitched.

Though this wedding engagement is a first, wild outings aren’t new for Zaharias. At 42, he is co-owner and operator of Cliffhanger Guides based in Joshua Tree, California; his wife and business partner, Sabra Purdy, owns the other half. Their company’s mission statement is: “The more you give the more you get,” and in an adventure occupation where reputation means everything, it’s that signature style and go-for-it energy that makes his business work.

That’s why his clients find him through word-of-mouth and positive referrals on the Internet. “We’re not stodgy, formal,” he says. “It’s about having a damn good time.”

From October 1 through April 30, in the town of Joshua Tree at the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, he operates the eco-conscious Cliffhanger service out of a solar-powered, up-cycled shipping container with a faux old-west façade. The town is a stop on the tourist circuit that employs baristas, restaurant workers, and climbing guides.

To keep from interfering with other climbers’ experiences, Zaharias’ guides spread out over the various golden granite rocks (there are some 8,000 routes in the park), making sure to take clients to areas with as few people as possible.

During peak season, they run 100 trips a month in the northwest corner of the 792,510-acre park.

Zaharias has called Joshua Tree (colloquially known as “J Tree” or simply “Josh”) home for the past 19 years and, to date, he’s climbed a thousand routes in the park.

But every summer when temps in the arid Mojave Desert soar well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, he and his wife head north to seek cooler environs. During this time, he guides in Devil’s Tower, Wyoming and in California’s Sierra Nevada, home to Lover’s Leap, where he takes clients up single-to-multi-pitch routes for memorable outings.

While Zaharias is guiding, Purdy works as a fish restoration ecologist, often in streams in field waders “counting fish and saving rivers for future generations,” he says. They 20 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

base out of Purdy’s grandfather’s 1929 cabin west of the town of Bridgeport. The cabin is so remote that it requires either a boat or a footpath to access.

Back at Raley’s in June, Zaharias tells me he’s scheduled another climbing guide (in addition to himself), three porters, a cinematographer, and a rock-climbing violinist for the wedding proposal. It took him weeks of searching climbing forums on the Internet to find the classically trained violinist to serenade the client’s would-be bride from hundreds of feet up a vertical rock. “I just hope she says yes,” he says.

Born in Walnut Creek, California, Zaharias was raised by “divorced hippie parents,” and his half-brother Byron came ten years after he was born. His father owned a restaurant and bar in Sonora called Whilma’s Café and the Flying Pig Saloon, and his mother worked as a hospice and oncology nurse. His parents divorced when he was three; soon after he and his mother moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. But young Zaharias was a defiant child, and after seven years in Indiana his mother sent him packing to live with his father in California. “I was a punk rocker with a big purple Mohawk; a rebellious kid with baggage,” Zaharias says.

During his freshman year in high school, in Sonora, he got expelled for fighting (he had a knife).

From there he was sent to a boys’ ranch in Northern California, from which he was kicked out a short time later. Then came an at-risk youth outdoor school in Trout Creek, Montana, which was a better fit. It was there that he earned his high school diploma. Trout Creek is where he was introduced to mountain biking, snowboarding, rafting, rock climbing, and sailing. “It saved my life, quite frankly. I got introduced to climbing in 1990 and it was a total game changer.” The following year the school took him on as an apprentice and he got his start in guiding.

After high school, in 1994, he moved to the ski town of Whitefish, Montana, where he continued his work as an instructor in at-risk youth programs. There he lived out of his vehicle “ski bumming all winter and climbing bumming all spring and fall.” His first home on wheels was a 13-foot Toyota Chinook, out of which he also sold weed. And he took off on road trips to the west coast’s most famous climbing areas: Yosemite National Park, what many consider America’s climbing mecca, and Joshua Tree, an area frequented by the influential, hard-climbing Southern California Stonemasters in the 1970s. Less than three hours’ drive from Los Angeles, Josh attracts eccentrics, artists, and international tourists in addition to climbers,.

Based out of his micro RV, Zaharias ascended Yosemite’s big walls, free climbed long routes and bouldered hard. His friends were elite climbers who slept in the boulders by night and climbed all day, every day. But soon Yosemite

This page, top to bottom: Seth Zaharias says of climbing (and other adventure sports), “It saved my life, quite frankly. I got introduced to climbing in 1990 and it was a total game changer.” (Kristi Odom); Zaharias points out a climbing route to one of his guests in Joshua Tree National Park (Kristi Odom).

Valley became too busy for him, so Zaharias began frequenting nearby Tuolumne Meadows, a range of granite domes and trickling rivers in a heavenly setting, a place where visitors and locals gather nightly to watch wild pink and purple sunsets. Winters were spent in Joshua Tree.

“I dirtbagged hard from the early 1990s to early 2000s, like a decade,” he says. (A dirtbag is an endearing term for climbers on a tight budget who bed down in their sleeping bags in the dirt). Over the years he’s lived in five different Toyotas.

Today, he’s helping those new to climbing get the most out of the activity that he fell in love with all those years ago, back when he was a teen. His work also provides the opportunity for new friendships. Bringing people together is not only how he makes a living, but also how he lives his life.

In 2002 Zaharias spent $9,000 to buy property near Joshua Tree, then a shack in the desert. In 2006 he bought the area’s local climbing shoe repair shop Positive Resoles, and in 2011, he opened Cliffhanger Guides where he not only teaches rock climbing, but also creates custom fatherdaughter outings, and one-on-one custom adventures. In order to make his trips personal and memorable, he keeps the guide-to-client ratio low, with no more than four clients per guide. He only employs certified guides, ones who provide the same level of customer service he would and who are deeply familiar with the park. “We’re befriending all our guests,” he says.

“I’m not a dirtbag anymore,” he says. “During season, I have to come up with 10,000 to 15,00 dollars every two weeks for payroll.”

Now, instead of living on the road, he and his wife reside at the “Sethspool,” a 10-acre desert spread. His mother coined the name the day he moved in and painted the words on a board with white paint. Today that board is nailed to the front of the residence. He and Purdy share a one-bedroom 600-square foot house surrounded by their collection of vintage trailers from 1947 to 1961, including one Airstream, two Spartans, and a Jet Stream. The trailers cost him a total of $30,000 and he and Purdy use them to house their guides. Decorations on their land include Purdy’s 50 different types of cacti and Zaharias’ metal sculptures. His lot is in an 85-acre community, far out in the desert and surrounded by only a handful of neighbors. He also lets some dirtbags park and live out of their cars at his place. And he throws epic yearly parties.

The parties started fifteen years ago, soon after he purchased Positive Resoles. The early gatherings had highlining (slacklining but higher off the ground), and kegs, but over the years the parties have grown into something of a festival, like Burning Man but with a theater flair. “Burning Man is for tourists; this is more personal,” Zaharias says. The theatrical touch comes from Purdy, who learned about performance from her theaterrunning parents (they were also college professors).

“Every party is different. Last year 400 people showed up in my yard and we had to shut it down,” Zaharias says. “The year before we did [an] alien invasion complete with a crashed UFO in my yard and a flaming alien charging the crowd.” One year Purdy and Zaharias convinced the town — they were pretending — that they planned to shoot themselves out of a canon. Artists, climbers and desert dwellers came out of the woodwork to attend,

This page, clockwise from far left: A glimpse into life at the Sethspool with Purdy’s amazing cacti and Zaharias’ weird desert salvage art (Selah Green); John Lauretig, a Cliffhanger guest, forgetting all about work and letting it all hang out (Kristi Odom); Classically trained violinist Ben Robison serenades a newly engage couple 600 feet off the ground at Lover’s Leap in California (Philip Kaake); Seth chalks up preparing to lead a pitch (Kristi Odom).

including Carl Rice, Harrison Ford’s stunt double. Zaharias hires Rice every year to perform stunt work and setup pyrotechnics for his parties.

In addition to planning the next party for this coming autumn, Zaharias is also arranging the next “Lynn Hill Experience.”

Now in its third year, Zaharias works with his idol and climbing celebrity Hill, who dirtbagged in Yosemite and Joshua in the ‘70s. Hill was the first woman to climb 5.14 (1990), and the first individual to free El Capitan (via the Nose, 5.14, in 1993).

For decades she traveled the world, from Kyrgyzstan to Morocco to Cuba establishing hard climbs. This autumn will be the third

Hill and Cliffhanger event, where clients sign up for a four-day immersive in an intimate group of ten. Hill will provide tips, pointers, and tricks she’s learned over forty years on the rock.

Three days after talking with Zaharias at Raley’s, a video appears on my Facebook page of the classical violin serenade he told me about. In the video the sun is shining and the couple are holding each other close in a setting of dark granite and green forest. I call Zaharias to find out how it went. “She said yes,” he tells me.

To book a trip with Zaharias and Purdy, visit CliffhangerGuides.com or call (760) 401-5033.

www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com

21

Never Too Old for Gold Outrigger Champion Barbara Leites

Words by Haven Livingston • Photos by Mike Grummell

Barbara Leites was 71 years old the first time she paddled an outrigger canoe. At 74 she brought home her first gold for her country from the 2016 International Va’a (outrigger canoe) Federation’s World Sprints Championships in Australia. This summer at age 76 she is full speed ahead eying more medals from her second IVF World Championship event in Tahiti. Some have questioned whether an athlete of her age is up for the rigors of these races. For Leites, age is irrelevant.

T

he spritely petite woman with crystalline blue eyes and a bright smile is a power house of energy.

Her work-out schedule would challenge any college athlete to keep up between daily weight room work outs, paddles, and cardio sessions.

Leites doesn’t like to hear excuses from people who think they are too old

to try new sports. “You just have to find the right thing that doesn’t aggravate your problem,” she said. She feels lucky because she found paddling and fell in love with it. It’s the perfect fit because she can do it from a seated position and take the stress off of her problem knees.

As a youngster she tried out various sports, but never in any formal way and

never very seriously. After a career as a fine arts painter and teacher she took a recreational class to learn outrigger paddling. Something clicked for her, connecting her life-long love affair with water into a new passion that gave her an outlet for her competitive drive.

“Retirement is an opportunity to start something new, go a new direction,

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Main Image: Barbara Leites and her paddling partner Rita Melamed. Above: Paddling regatta at Sea Planes Basin Alameda hosted by Hui Wa’a outrigger club.

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Above: Digging deep at a regatta in Alameda. Left: Barbara and Rita at the blessing ceremony of the canoe (Barbara’s private collection).

change it up. Find something to be passionate about again that is different from the last job. A new hobby, new sport, new anything that takes you off the couch!” said Leites.

Age is a nonissue for Leites’ paddling partner too, Rita Melamed, 49. “Barbara is definitely my inspiration to keep training,” said Melamed. “She keeps pushing me and I am just very lucky to accompany her through the bucket list she has set up for paddling races.”

The two met up while paddling with Outrigger Santa Cruz club. Melamed, who had been paddling for two years, immediately saw herself in Leites — the drive, determination and sheer love for being on the water. They became fast friends and came up with the idea to race a two-person canoe under the moniker Team 47-74 (based on their ages). They wanted their name to send the message that you can still get after it no matter what your age.

In 2016 Team 47-74 traveled to Hawaii for the Queen Lili’uokalani Canoe Race and won first place in the two-person fivemile event for the 40’s age group. Team category is determined by the youngest person on the team. After Hawaii Leites became unstoppable in her pursuit of competing in all of the big outrigger race events. Melamed was thrilled to have a training partner as motivated as she to keep striving for more.

In April of 2017 they went to the World Masters Games in New Zealand. As of yet California does not have any over 70’s teams so Leites was mixed with people from all over for various races. She and Melamed were also recruited to fill in as drummers for dragon boat teams of 20 paddlers.

Having never been in a dragon boat, they did what anyone needing to learn something quick would do; they turned to YouTube. Late into the night in their hotel room they studied the Chinese dragon boat style race rhythms. The next

day Leites joined a team composed of Russian, Portuguese, and New Zealand paddlers and beat in time towards a gold medal in the 500-meter sprint. By the end of the competition Leites had racked up three gold medals and two silver and she attributes them to the availability of racing in over-70 teams instead of being lumped into younger age categories. “Aging does have its benefits in this sport!” Leites said.

In the fall of 2017 Leites and Melamed paddled in a six-person co-ed team to conquer the MBX — a 22-mile Monterey Bay crossing from Santa Cruz Harbor to Monterey. They competed as an iron team, meaning they were the same people from start to finish (as opposed to teams who change out paddlers) with no one taking more than a 30 second break from paddling over the four and one-half hours it took to make the crossing.

This year Leites won the 10-mile Monterey Long Distance race in the 60over group. “Just give me a rabbit to chase,” Leites said. As long as she sees someone in front of her she will throw down everything she’s got to overtake them. She and Melamed are always searching for the next great challenge.

And when they can’t find someone to teach them, they return to YouTube to work on their stroke technique.

Along with their next challenge of the 2018 IVF World Championships in Tahiti is the Te Aito, the most prestigious individual va’a race in Polynesia. Age categories only go up to 60-over and at 76, Leites will be the oldest woman to compete. She will be representing the USA in the 14-kilometer one-person rudderless va’a race.

Melamed, however, is thrilled to represent the island she grew up on, Mauritius, where outrigger paddling has not been part of the culture and no one from the island has ever competed in the Te Aito. Both view this race as an ultimate individual challenge since it is a worldrenowned event and will be the longest race either has done in a rudderless outrigger canoe. Even with as climactic as the Te Aito will be, the pair doesn’t get myopic. Their sights reach into the future towards the Catalina Crossing US Outrigger Championships in September and continue to more individual races after that. The goal, as Leites says, is to “never, ever give up!”

“I started a brand-new sport after retirement at 71. Look where you can go when you take a chance, risk trying something new,” Leites said. The trick, she says, is to use fear of the unknown as motivation. That, she said, “is when you have the opportunity to be brave.”

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23

YURI HAUSWALD

Gravel Champion

Tales of perseverance on the Kansas prairie and the growth of gravel cycling in California and beyond

By Kurt Gensheimer

T

ough times never last, but tough people do. And there’s no better example of this than Yuri Hauswald, a professional endurance cyclist for Scott Bikes and Community Development Manager for GU Energy Labs.

Hauswald is known for his singlespeed mountain bike exploits, his achievements as a solo 24-hour mountain bike racer and the organizer of a grassroots spring cycling event in his home town of Petaluma called the Bantam Classic. But Hauswald might be best known for bringing home the title of 2015 Dirty Kanza Champion at the prime age of 44 years old.

If you’re not familiar with Dirty Kanza, it’s a brutal-yet-beautiful 200-mile gravel bike race in Emporia, Kansas held the first weekend in June. It has the reputation of being the original – and toughest – gravel grinder event in the country.

Thousands of cyclists toe the line each year in the Dirty Kanza, not only subjecting themselves to 10,000 vertical feet of climbing across the Kansas prairie, but also surviving razor sharp rocks, apocalyptic mud, rain and wind often coinciding with the event.

The 2015 edition of the Kanza was one of those days; torrential downpours, brutal crosswinds and paralytic mud turning bikes into giant non-rolling clumps of earth. To prevent his bicycle from breaking in the mud, Hauswald had to shoulder and run his bike for several miles that day. Hauswald’s shoes became slippery mud boots that wouldn’t clip into his pedals, and he stopped at water crossings to free the mud continually plugging between his tires and frame. But thanks to his strong physique, his unwavering determination and not abusing his equipment, Hauswald handily dispatched all his competitors en route to the victory. Well, almost all of them.

After 200 miles of racing – nearly 100 of it by himself – and one of the hardest days on a bike in his life, Hauswald found himself rolling back into downtown Emporia with another racer right on his tail. After a punishing 13-hour day on the bike, Hauswald couldn’t believe the finish would come down to a sprint, but through all that he endured, Hauswald was determined to cross the line first. With his big, powerful riding style, Hauswald led out the finishing sprint so fiercely that his challenger didn’t have a chance; making for the closest and most exciting finish in Dirty Kanza history. Hauswald let out a guttural, tribal scream as he crossed the line, then collapsed on the ground an exhausted champion in the arms of his wife, Vanessa, who flew out to the race the day before and surprised him with her presence.

Going Even Bigger If racing 200 miles across the Kansas prairie doesn’t sound tough enough, the 2018 Dirty Kanza introduced a new category called the DKXL, a 350-mile, fully self-supported route limited to only 34 of the strongest and most seasoned ultra-distance gravel cyclists. One of the invitees was Hauswald, and although the distance was on the upper end of his limit, Hauswald wanted to honor the invitation extended by Dirty Kanza founder, Jim Cummins.

Months of training for Hauswald culminated on June 1 as an intrepid group of DKXL riders rolled out of Emporia at 4pm on Friday evening. The Kansas air was thick with temperatures in the low 90s, so Hauswald used an old racing trick of freezing a 70-ounce Camelbak hydration bladder and wore it on his back. The block of ice got Hauswald through the first 80 miles of DKXL, a time when many contenders faded in the heat. Even after the sun set over the Kansas prairie, the stifling heat barely let up. But at least skies were clear with no sign of rain and the debilitating mud that comes with it.

“The fireflies were incredible as was a big, bright crimson moon,” recalled Hauswald. “With how clear the skies were, I thought there was no way we’d get hit with a rain storm, but two hours later it was like Gilligan’s Island.”

By 4:30am, the skies opened up and torrential rains, hail and lightning overwhelmed the riders. It rained so hard that back in Emporia, the 6am start of the 200-mile Dirty Kanza was pushed back by 30 minutes; the first time a delayed start has ever happened in event history. Then came the mud, and with it the paralysis of Hauswald’s bike, but thankfully he was prepared with an essential piece of gear.

“A Benjamin Moore wooden paint stick is your best weapon on the prairie,” Hauswald said with a chuckle. “We call it a mud stick, and it absolutely will save your day when your bike gets clogged.”

24 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

Main image: Chasing the sun across the Flint Hills of Kansas fully loaded for a self-supported 350 mile ride (Myke Hermsmeyer). Above: Hauswald couldn’t do the endurance racing he does without the support of his wife. Nothing better than a finish line hug from Vanessa Hauswald, ED of the NorCal HS MTB League (Linda Guerette).

As he trudged through the heavy weather, Hauswald’s experience intensified, having a significant spiritual encounter with a bobcat. The bobcat happens to be Hauswald’s spirit animal, as the bobcat symbolizes his father who passed away in 2006 from an aggressive form of cancer. On the day of his father’s passing, Hauswald had a bobcat cross his path while out on a ride. Since then he’s seen numerous bobcats while riding, and encountering one on the DKXL provided Hauswald the energy he needed to make it through the night.

The sun came up and the rain abated, but the mud was far from over. With 70 miles to go, Hauswald came into even more debilitating mud that forced him to walk more than a mile with the bike on his back.

“It sucked the life outta me and totally brought back memories of 2015,” said Hauswald.

Eventually Hauswald found a spigot and was able to clean the bike. Although he suffered a bit of a mental breakdown through the sea of mud, Hauswald’s endurance racing experience, perfectly executed nutrition plan, ability to turn off the voices in his brain and maintained focus got him through to the finish; that and an entire bottle of chain lube. Nearly 25 hours after starting, Hauswald completed the inaugural DKXL in second place.

Because there is less traffic on dirt roads, riders can enjoy nature around them; the rustling of trees in the wind, the soothing din of running water, a bird’s song and even the sound of knobby tires on gravel.

The Growth of Gravel Although Hauswald’s two Dirty Kanza tales sound physically and mentally punishing, there’s an element to his experiences that has helped fuel the growth of gravel cycling and events like Dirty Kanza: having a true bicycle adventure.

“Although Dirty Kanza is a race, it’s really more about having an adventure and sharing the experience with others,” said

Hauswald. “Of course there’s a competitive element, but most people do events like Kanza for the camaraderie and slapping high fives with friends. Instead of folks asking ‘how did you place?,’ the most often asked question is ‘how was your ride?’”

As one of the more prominent names in gravel cycling, Hauswald’s engaging personality, social media presence, nutrition expertise working with GU Energy Labs and involvement with Dirty Kanza

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BACKCOUNTRY NEVADA ADVENTURE

Top image: Lonely miles without a lot of traffic (Myke Hermsmeyer); Nutrition “yard sale” in front of Casey’s Convenience Store, the only option for refueling (Myke Hermsmeyer); Hauswald spent 220 miles by himself on the Dirty Kanza (Myke Hermsmeyer).

has helped broaden the popularity of this knobby tire, drop bar movement. But perhaps the biggest catalyst getting cyclists off pavement and onto dirt is how much more enjoyable riding dirt roads can be.

Due to the epidemic of distracted driving, road cycling has become more dangerous, but not having to worry about cars buzzing by at high speeds is just one of many pleasures of gravel cycling. Dirt roads engage the senses far more than pavement can, delivering riders to more remote and beautiful places. Because there is less traffic on dirt roads, riders can enjoy nature around them; the rustling of trees in the wind, the soothing din of running water, a bird’s song and even the sound of knobby tires on gravel. But you don’t have to be as fit as Hauswald or compete in a grueling event like Dirty Kanza to consider yourself a gravel cyclist. All that’s required is a sense of adventure and a capable bike that can handle dirt roads.

“Gravel riding can be done on any kind of bike that’s comfortable on dirt roads,” said Hauswald. “Gravel riding is less technical, threatening and scary of an entry barrier than mountain biking. And particularly in the midwest, because there are hundreds of miles of dirt roads everywhere, you can go hours without seeing a car, so gravel riding is quite safe and far more peaceful.”

Much like the mountain bike community, Hauswald added that the gravel community

is inclusive, welcoming and supportive.

Especially at events like Kanza, there are no egos.

“The midwestern hospitality that everyone speaks of is absolutely a thing at Kanza,” said Hauswald. “You feel it as soon as you roll into Emporia.”

Although Hauswald regards Kanza as the nucleus of the gravel movement, gravel grinder events are popping up all over the country, including many in California.

Events like the Grasshopper Adventure Series in Northern California, the Sagan Dirt Fondo in Truckee, Lost and Found in Portola, Grinduro in Quincy, Gourmet Gravel in Nevada City and the Rock Cobbler in Bakersfield give folks who want to try a gravel event plenty of options.

When asked what he would recommend to someone just getting into gravel riding, Hauswald had two main pieces of advice.

“Most importantly, you don’t have to buy a new bike to ride gravel. Just make sure your current bike setup is comfortable for riding dirt roads,” said Hauswald. “And if you don’t have many dirt roads within riding distance of your house, consider doing a gravel event. You don’t have to race it, just go ride it with some friends and see some cool new places along the way.

The essence of riding gravel is about getting outside and having a bike adventure, and that’s why I think we’ll continue to see this form of cycling continue to flourish.”

CARSON CITY AUSTIN ELY Caliente EUREKA

www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com

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Athlete Profile

Rock Star

Q&A with Pro Enduro Rider Matt Guntert

By Michele Charboneau Photos by Kasey Carames

Third year enduro racer Matt Guntert’s training and commitment are paying off, with pro podium wins at all three stops on the California Enduro Series (CES) schedule so far this season. We caught up with this enthusiastic, friendly and talented rider to talk race strategy, family, and life in Mammoth Lakes.

You’re racing the California Enduro Series this year as a Kamikaze Bike Games sponsored rider. How did that sponsorship come about?

2016 was a great season. I won my first professional race, the Kamikaze Downhill, a two stage race: the original Kamikaze and Kamikaze 2.0 with combined times. I had won the Enduro Nationals that year and become a national champion. [Former Mammoth Mountain VP] Bill Cockcroft and [Mammoth Mountain Event Production Manager] Caroline Casey saw my passion, desire and willingness to help the Kamikaze Bike Games (KBG) grow in any way possible. In 2017 they signed me as a KBG rider and that relationship continues today.

You advocate for CES, which is a non-profit organization. What does it mean to be a CES ambassador and what inspired you to become one?

Being a CES ambassador means helping out in any way possible. We share posts on social media, talk with fellow riders on and off the mountain about CES events, and communicate with race organizers to ensure we have the best races. Sharing the enduro stoke!

You are currently in the lead overall for this year’s CES. How do you feel about that?

Stoked! A real dream come true. I moved from Cat1/Expert in 2016 straight to Pro to learn as much as I could in a short time. In 2017 I finished 5th overall in Pro with focus on what lies ahead. I knew I needed a strict training plan and dedication.

How have you prepared for this season?

I have never worked this hard in my life. Gym regimens, yoga, indoor trainer sessions, road cycling, cross country cycling, and long enduro practice days. I have a dayby-day training plan and I fuel my body with natural foods.

We see your wife and son at events and in your social posts. Tell us about your family and the part they play in your success as a racer.

I wouldn’t be half the husband, father, or racer without my wife, Kendal, and son, Kai. They push me harder than I feel my body can go sometimes and give me the motivation/encouragement I need to get to that next level. I talk to my wife about everything. You could say she’s my coach ... and I don’t want to disappoint my coach!

Traveling to events and having the family with me takes my mind off the pressures of racing and lets me relax. I’m not part of a race team so doing it alone is kind of boring.

Having them there is a key to my success, not only in racing, but life!

How did you get started racing mountain bike enduro?

As a teenager I was dedicated to being a freestyle snowboarder. In 2013 I tore my ACL, LCL, and meniscus. I met my wife the day I was injured. After a year-long recovery, Kendal’s stepdad, Matt May, suggested I ride her mountain bike — a 2010 Santa Cruz Nomad — for recovery. I became hooked on the sport and loved the long run format. In 2015, Matt signed me up for the Mammoth Mountain Nationals Enduro in Pro Men. I got to the top of Stage 1 and noticed guys like Brian Lopes, Cody Kelly, and Adam Craig. I was nervous to say the least! My goal was to not get passed and I didn’t. It’s been a wild ride ever since.

You kicked off your season with your first ever Pro podium at the Toro Enduro. You followed that with a first place win at round 2 — Mammoth Bar, and a second place win the first round of the CES Golden Tour — the China Peak Enduro. How do these races compare to one another and did you have different strategies for each of them?

It’s hard to train in Mammoth Lakes during the early season because of snow. I go 30 minutes south where we have 30-40 miles of maintained single track year round.

These tracks are very similar to those at Toro Park and Auburn: very power stage specific and tight. In late spring, the snow melts and I can start riding in Mammoth which has similar terrain to China Peak: loose, fast, and rocky — at high altitude. It helps knowing tire compounds, pressures and shock settings for this race.

You have two CES races between now and your race on home turf in Mammoth Lakes, the Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro.

Tell us about these venues and how they compare to Mammoth Mountain.

Snow Summit is a sister mountain to Mammoth. It’s high altitude and has a mix of fast, power and technical stages.

Northstar is a more controlled environment with real dirt, water irrigation and amazing trail work featuring fast, loose, long, and very technical tracks. Then you have Mammoth and its big drops, and long, chunky, unpredictable stages. The riding is different than any other venue. You have to be loose and willing to let your bike slide around and dance below you.

You raced all but the finale in Ashland last year. Do you plan to race the Ashland Mountain Challenge this year?

I ended up crashing and tearing two tendons in my right ankle on Stage 3 at Kamikaze Bike Games last year. I wanted a healthy recovery so I pulled out of Ashland.

I’m super excited for Ashland this season and can’t wait to race this venue.

How long have you lived in Mammoth Lakes and what do you enjoy about living there?

This is my twelfth year living in Mammoth Lakes. It’s a place of pure beauty and peace, with access to some of the best mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, fishing, and climbing in California. It’s kind of a drive for most people and a very spread out area so it never gets too crowded. I met my wife and got married here, and our son was born here, too. This town and mountain are where my dreams came true!

What are your favorite trails and features at Mammoth?

My favorite trail at Mammoth is Follow Me, a chunky, long, and technical course.

26 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

Clockwise from top: Matt Guntert looking fierce on Stage 3 of the China Peak Enduro in Lakeshore; Posing with his Santa Cruz Hightower LT; Getting a congratulatory hug from wife Kendal after taking 1st place Pro Men at the Mammoth Bar Enduro in Auburn; Racing a narrow track above the American River at Mammoth Bar.

My favorite features are the Pinball rock drop — a pumice shoot into an epic six to eight foot drop with an open 360 degree view of the entire valley — and the Chain Smoke waterfall — a near vertical rock slab with a field of pavers to land on.

How will the change in base venue from Canyon Lodge to Main Lodge enhance Kamikaze Bike Games?

It’ll add more parking, lift access, lodges, food options and — new for 2018 — on-site camping. The centralized venue will help keep everyone together to share the spirit of mountain bike racing.

Are you racing any of the other events at Kamikaze Bike Games besides the enduro?

I really want to race the Mega-Kami, but I have a lot of racing in September and may focus strictly on the enduro. I want to get my son entered in the Kids Enduro and help him have fun in the race.

What would be your racing theme song?

Jukebox Hero by Foreigner! I was in a slump after my failed attempt at a snowboarding career. The first time I rode a bike down an enduro course I became invigorated.

It gave me a renewed passion to continue competing and to become a successful athlete and human being.

Follow Guntert on Facebook @instamattyg and Instagram @mattygmtb. Learn more about CES at californiaenduroseries.com and Mammoth Mountain’s Kamikaze Bike Games at kamikazebikegames.com.

JOIN US FOR THE ULTIMATE MTB EVENT BENEFITTING THE MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

ENDURO, eDURO, KIDS ENDURO, PRO GRT DOWNHILL, MEGAKAMI, BOOGALOO, EXPO & MUCH MORE

Get up here for the bike bash of the year at this multi-disciplined event featuring some of the best enduro courses in the world and a brand new Megakami race.

With music, great food, drinks and a kids enduro, there’s off-road fun for all.

FOR MORE INFO AND LODGING DEALS, GO TO KAMIKAZEBIKEGAMES.COM

Event Profiles

Featured upcoming events

Photo: Tahoe Nalu

Photo: Satchel Cronk

TA-HOE NALU

16TH ANNUAL TOUR DE TAHOE - BIG BLUE

ROCKHOPPER FESTIVAL

The Ta-Hoe Nalu Paddle Festival is celebrating its 12th year as the oldest and longest running SUP race event in the world, on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe at Kings Beach. From the very first Ta-Hoe Nalu in 2007 to now, the event draws folks from all around the globe to the shores of Lake Tahoe to compete on SUPs, Prone and Outrigger canoes. Ta-Hoe Nalu has become a destination vacation family event for all ages and skill levels. The event embraces everyone from recreational, fitness paddlers, yoga, beginners, and elite athletes.

This year the First Stroke non-competitive fun guided paddle tours will be back with more tours, along with a 4-person team Sprint Elimination Challenge, yoga paddles, free Starboard’s SUP Polo, live music and raffles each day at the Kona Beer Garden, and new, lowered event registration prices. Come and enjoy the fun, family, fitness and High Sierra Aloha at Lake Tahoe. tahoenalu.com

Bike the West and the Reno Tahoe Territory of the Nevada Commission on Tourism invite you to experience the adventure of riding your bicycle around Lake Tahoe’s 72-mile shoreline by participating in this epic adventure.

Lake Tahoe — Big Blue, as it is referred to by many — is North America’s Largest Alpine Lake and the Jewel of the High Sierra. This is your chance to ride around Big Blue at summer’s end, savoring the fresh mountain air and incredible scenic beauty. After the ride, you’ll enjoy great food and entertainment.

The Tour de Tahoe - Big Blue is managed and supported

by Bike the West — one of the most experienced bicycle event management teams in the West. This event sells out year after year, so be sure to register right away. bikethewest.com/tour-de-tahoe

The Rockhopper Festival, presented by Monticello Cycling Club, returns to Rockville Hills Regional Park in Fairfield for two days of mountain bike racing at one of the best parks in the Bay Area. This event is the primary fundraiser for the Vacaville Composite Mountain Bike Team, recently crowned 2018 Champions.

The Rockhopper Classic Cross Country Race — now in its second year — takes place on Day 1 on a 5.3-mile course that showcases some of the best trails in the park. Riders race two, three, or four laps of the course depending on class. Day 2 features the 4th annual Rockhopper Enduro — four stages of some of Rockville’s gnarliest trails; a perfect test of rider and machine.

Post-race events on Day 1 will be held at the park; on Sunday, the festivities will move to Solano College. monticellocycling.com

August 11-12, Kings Beach

Photo: Cedar Wright

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR RADICAL REELS NIGHT September 21, Santa Cruz

Ignite your passion for adventure, action, and travel.

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Radical Reels Night will exhilarate you with amazing big-screen stories when it comes to the Rio Theatre on September 21 at 7 pm. Journey to exotic locations, cycle wild places, and climb the highest peaks. From an exploration of remote landscapes and mountain cultures to adrenaline-fueled action sports, films in this year’s World Tour are sure to captivate and amaze the explorer within you. Get your tickets today and be taken away to the most captivating places on earth. riotheatre.com

September 9, Lake Tahoe

September 15-16, Fairfield

Photo: Called to Creation

KAMIKAZE BIKE GAMES

September 21-23, Mammoth Lakes

The Kamikaze Bike Games (KBG) is back for 2018 with some exciting new twists. The venue base moves to Main Lodge and events include: California Enduro Series/EWS Qualifier Enduro, UCI/USA Cycling Pro GRT Downhill + Amateur DH, the new MegaKami “Le Mans/Mass” style Kamikaze Downhill Race, The Boogaloo, an eDURO, a Kids’ Free Enduro Race (12 & under), and a Strider Race.

On-site camping is now available at the event. Camp at Stump Alley Express/Chair 2 for up to five nights for just $60. There will also be a free movie night featuring the Redbull film North of Nightfall. No doubt about it, 2018 will be the most exciting year of the KBG yet. kamikazebikegames.com

CALIFORNIA COAST CLASSIC

September 22-29, San Francisco to Los Angeles

The 18th annual Arthritis Foundation’s California Coast Classic (CCC) is a fully-supported boutique bicycle tour limited to 250 riders to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation.

Ride at your own pace along the iconic Highway 1 from San Francisco to Los Angeles among waves, woods, and wineries. You’ll pedal along coastal roads and camp or stay in hotels in areas not open to larger groups. The CCC covers over 500 miles over eight days during the best time of year in California. arthritis.org/CaliforniaCoastClassic

THE COURAGE PROJECT This non-profit offers FREE half-day outdoor events intended to improve the lives

of children in the Tahoe region by implementing mindfulness-based emotion education and coping skills training.

Courage Coaches are by their sides and all equipment is provided. Upcoming late summer events include: Sept 8: Kid’s Mindfulness-based Coping Skills + Lakefront Yoga and Standup Paddleboard Clinic. Children 9-13 learn the moving meditation of yoga on the shores of Lake Tahoe then find their balance during an intro to SUP clinic.

Sept 15: Kid’s Mountain Top Yoga and Mindfulness Hike with TRTA and TINS: Children 8- 12 learn the moving meditation of yoga in a serene mountain setting then embark on a mindfulness hike.

September 16: Kid’s Mindfulness-based Coping Skills + Intro to Rock Climbing Clinic with NASTC. Children 9-13 learn to rock climb. thecourageproject.org

28 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

Photo: Hannah Christiansen

Photo: Don Kinnamon

27TH ANNUAL OATBRAN

September 23-29, Stateline to Baker NV

This annual epic cycling journey — dubbed “America’s Loneliest Bike Tour” — across the Silver State is not just a bike tour but is more like a personalized bicycling vacation tour offered to bicycling enthusiasts from all over the world. Produced by TGFT Productions and Bike The West, this ride promises to be one of the best fullysupported multi-day tours you will ever experience.

OATBRAN founder and TGFT Productions/Bike the West Event Director Curtis Fong aka “The Guy From Tahoe” continues to personally direct the journey along with his seasoned, professional Bike the West team. Fong’s experience with and knowledge about Nevada gives this event a truly authentic and unique feel, and his team offers the utmost in professional service and genuine western hospitality.

Reserve your space early as the ride is limited to just 50 participants. bikethewest.com/oatbran-one-awesome-tour-bikeride-across-nevada

MONTEREY BAY CROSSING OUTRIGGER RACE

September 29, Santa Cruz to Monterey

The outrigger canoe has been the central figure in Polynesian culture for many centuries as a mode of transportation, a vessel to explore and populate distant lands, and now a form of recreation and competition. It’s a way of life.

The Monterey Bay Crossing (MBX) is the premiere Long-Distance Race in Northern California with a focus on the Iron Crew (six paddlers) chasing course records.

The strength and endurance required of six paddlers to power a canoe over 25 miles is exceptional and requires solid teamwork and focus.

Along with the Iron Crews, many paddlers cross the bay for the first time as a member of a “change” crew. A change crew will consist of 9-12 people all taking turns in the canoe over the 25 mile course.

The event, hosted by Outrigger Santa Cruz, culminates with a great post-race party in Monterey and a memorable bus ride back to Santa Cruz. outriggersantacruz.org/mbx-home

USAL HOPPER

October 13, Lost Coast

In partnership with Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. (RFFI) and Usal Redwoods, Hopper Adventures — organizer of the popular Grasshopper Adventure Series — is offering a unique opportunity to ride along the rugged California coastline known as the Lost Coast. The routes access 50,000 acres of RFFI/Usal land between the Eel River and the Pacific Ocean.

Choose from three different loops: “Mero-Mero” and “Mediano” are timed and will have a podium for all categories. “Chiquito” is not timed but gives riders a chance to get out and explore at their own pace. The route is a combination of hard packed dirt, loose gravel, pavement, and weather-beaten, rutted county dirt roads.

Included in this adventure are: camping Friday and Saturday nights; hydration and nutrition feed zones; event timing; emergency medical support; lunches; beer and snacks at finish; podium for top three in each category for the timed events. Learn how Hopper Adventures is giving back to the Lost Coast on page 13. grasshopperadventureseries.com

Do you have an event you’d like to see featured in this section? Learn about our event promotion packages by emailing us at info@adventuresportsjournal.com. PLUS — list your event for FREE on our on-line calendar at adventuresportsjournal.com/addevent.

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29

Adventure Calendar

Visit us online for more upcoming events.

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

BIKING AUGUST 2-5 — Downieville Classic MTB Race and Festival / Downieville / All Mountain World Championships, XC Adventure Race, Downieville Downhill / DownievilleClassic.com 3 — 1 Day Core Fundamentals / Truckee / First day of 3 day clinic / Different format then regular 1 Day Clinic / See website for details / ASingleTrackMind.com 3-5 — 3 Day Core Fundamentals / Truckee / First day of 3 day clinic / Gain the skills and confidence to ride trails that may have troubled you in the past / ASingleTrackMind.com 5 — Silicon Valley Tour de Cure / Palo Alto / TourDiabetes.org 11-12 — Mendo Hopper / Mendocino / A two-day cycling adventure ride in Mendocino County / GrassHopperAdventureSeries.com

18-19 — 2 Day Core Fundamentals / Palo Alto / 14 hrs, set curriculum to master and improve your bike skills / ASingleTrackMind.com 25-26 — Northstar Enduro / Northstar California Resort, Truckee / Round # 5 of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com

SEPTEMBER 8 — Mammoth Gran Fondo / Mammoth Lakes / 42mi, 70mi, & 102mi races through beautiful Mono County / MammothGranFondo.com 9 — 16th Annual Tour de Tahoe Bike Big Blue / South Shore Lake Tahoe, NV / Fully Supported bike tour around Lake Tahoe’s 72 mile shoreline… Limited to 2000 riders.

For more info and to register, visit BikeTheWest.com 14-16 — Stetina’s Sierra Prospect / Northstar, Carson, Mt Rose / supports High Fives foundation, 2 routes – 44mi or 78 mi / SierraProspect.com

REGISTER AT MONTICELLOCYCLING.COM

30 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

15-16 — Rockhopper Festival / Rockville Hills Regional Park, Fairfield / Presented by Monticello Cycling Club.

Two days of mountain bike racing at one of the best parks in the Bay Area.

Primary fundraiser for the Vacaville Composite Mountain Bike Team, recently crowned 2018 Champions.

Cross country and Enduro races.

MonticelloCycling.com 16 — Women’s Core Fundamentals / Tahoe & Truckee / 7 hrs, set curriculum to master and improve your bike skills / ASingleTrackMind.com 21-23 — Kamikaze Bike Games / Mammoth Lakes / The Kamikaze Bike Games is back for 2018 with some exciting new twists! See the Event Profile on page 28 for more info / KamikazeBikeGames.com 23-29 — 27th Annual OATBRAN / South Shore Lake Tahoe, NV / One Awesome Tour Bike Ride Across Nevada. Fully Supported Motel Style Bicycle Tour - 420 miles across the Silver State on US HWY 50 “The Loneliest Road”. Limited to 50 riders.

BikeTheWest.com

OCTOBER 6 — Ashland Mountain Challenge / Lithia Park in Ashland / Finale of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com

13 — Usal Hopper / Mendocino / Lost Coast gravel cycling adventure - 3 routes to choose from / GrassHopperAdventureSeries.com 14 — Los Angeles Tour de Cure / Santa Fe Recreation Dam / Tour.

Diabetes.org 20 — Solvang Autumn Double Century / Solvang / 193 miles with about 11,800′ of climbing, century option / PlanetUltra.com 20 — The Hammer Road Rally / Friant / 3 routes, food and music festival / HammerRoadRally.com 20-21 — Bike MS: Bay to Bay / Irvine to San Diego / 1 or 2 days and 4 routes to choose from / BikeMS.org

MISCELLANEOUS SEPTEMBER 8 — Kid’s Mindfulness-based Coping Skills + Lakefront Yoga and Standup Paddleboard Clinic / Lake Tahoe / 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM / FREE for registered participants. Children ages 9- to 13-years-old are welcome to learn the moving meditation of yoga on the shores of Lake Tahoe then find their balance during an intro to standup paddling clinic, all with a Courage Coach by their side / All equipment provided / CourageProject.org

12 — Dip and Dash Aquathlon #3 / Santa Cruz / International - 1500yd swim & 10K run, or Sprint - 750yd swim & 5K run, or Swim only / FinishLineProduction.com

PADDLING

Sea Kayaking and Stand Up Paddle Boarding /Santa Cruz / We offer the highest quality sea kayaking and standup paddle boarding instruction taught 15 — Kid’s Mountain Top Yoga and by friendly ACA- trained instructors / Mindfulness Hike with TRTA and TINS / Donner Summit / 8:00 AM - 12:00 KayakConnection.com / 831.479.1121 PM / FREE for registered participants.

AUGUST Children ages 8- to 12-years-old 11-12 —Ta-Hoe Nalu Paddle Festival are welcomed to learn the moving meditation of yoga in a serene mountain / Kings Beach / World’s original SUP race - races, demos, clinics, expo / setting then embark on a mindfulness TahoeNalu.com hike, all with a Courage Coach by their side / All equipment provided / SEPTEMBER CourageProject.org 16 — Kid’s Mindfulness-based Coping Skills + Intro to Rock Climbing Clinic with NASTC / Donner Summit / 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM / FREE for registered participants. Children ages 9- to 13-years-old are welcomed to learn to rock climb with a Courage Coach by their side. All equipment provided / CourageProject.org

OCTOBER 6 — Folsom Glow / Folsom / Familyfriendly 4K walk; the easy course begins and ends in Folsom’s Historic District and heads onto nearby trails / All registered participants receive a customdesigned medal / Folsom.ca.us

21-23 — Feather River Festival / Tobin / California’s biggest whitewater festival / AmericanWhitewater.org

RUNNING / WALKING AUGUST 4 — Salinas Valley Half Marathon / Soledad / bsim.org

NOVEMBER 11, 2018

HALF MARATHON• 5K • BEER GARDEN • AWARDS

11 — Marlette 50K and 10 Miler / Lake Tahoe NV State Park / RRCA Championships / TahoeTrailRunning. com 19 — XTERRA Lake Tahoe Trail Run / Incline Village, NV / 5K & 10K / TahoeTrailRunning.com

REGISTER TODAY at montereybayhalfmarathon.org

16TH ANNUAL

ER B M E

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SEP

8

01 2 , 9

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E TA

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GB E BI

AK —L

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Savor the end of summer with this ride around Tahoe’s 72-mile shoreline!

Register today at BiketheWest.com www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com

31

Adventure Calendar

Visit us online for more upcoming events.

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

RUNNING / WALKING, cont.

SEPTEMBER 1 — SLO Ultra at Wild Cherry Canyon / Avila Beach / 50mi, 26mi XC, 13mi XC, 5mi / SLOUltra.com

OCTOBER 6 — Folsom Glow / Folsom / Familyfriendly 4K walk; the easy course begins and ends in Folsom’s Historic District and heads onto nearby trails.

All registered participants receive a custom-designed medal / Folsom.ca.us

1-2 — Headlands Marathon, 50, 75 & 100-Mile / Sausalito / PCTrailRuns.com

6-7 — Bizz Johnson 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, 50K / Susanville / Run through scenic Lassen National Forest / CoastalTrailRuns.com

16 — Emerald Bay Trail Run / Lake Tahoe West Shore / 7mi mostly single track route with moderate climbs and descents / TahoeTrailRunning.com

7 — Urban Cow Half Marathon, Relay & 5K Run/Walk / Sacramento / UrbanCowHalfMarathon.com

16 — Whiskeytown Relays / Whiskeytown Lake / 19.9mi paved, dirt / SweatRC.com 22 — Big Sur Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 5 Mile / Andrew Molera State Park / EnviroSports.com 22 — Lederhosen 5K & 10K / Squaw Valley / After the awards and raffle enjoy the annual Squaw Oktoberfest / TahoeTrailRunning.com

21 — Surfer›s Path Hang 10/5 / Santa Cruz & Capitola / This event features a 10 mile and 5 mile course with scenic, beach front a coastal views. Come to Santa Cruz and Hang 10 or Hang 5!

Surfs UP! / RunSurfersPath.com

NOVEMBER 3 — Trail of Glory Trail Run / Cottonwood Valley, Las Vegas, NV / Run just below the beautiful cliff faces of Red Rock Canyon; Marathon, 30K, Half Marathon, 8K / DesertDash.com

11 — T9 Mermaid Run San Francisco / Golden Gate Bridge & Crissy Field / 5K, 10K, & Sirena10mi / MermaidSeries.com 11 — Big Sur Half Marathon / Monterey Bay / The half marathon begins and ends in historic downtown Monterey, runs along Cannery Row and next to the Pacific Grove shoreline. / It is USATF certified./bsim.org

DECEMBER 1 — Death Valley Trail Marathon and Half Marathon / Beatty, NV / EnviroSports.com 2 — California International Marathon / Folsom / #1 Boston Qualifier, Spectacular State Capitol Finish / RunCIM.org 8 — Hark the Herald Half Marathon & 10K / Angel Island, San Francisco / Hilly loop / EnviroSports.com

SWIMMING AUGUST 18 — Lake Tahoe Sharkfest Swim / Incline Village, NV / Sand Harbor 1mi swim / SharkFestSwim.com 25 — Lake Tahoe Open Water Swim / Sugar Pine State Park / 1/2mi, 1.2mi, 2.4mi / TahoeSwimming.com

TRIATHLON/DUATHLON AUGUST 12 — Dip and Dash Aquathlon #3 / Santa Cruz / International - 1500yd swim & 10K run, or Sprint - 750yd swim & 5K run, or Swim only / FinishLineProduction.com 12 — Tri Santa Cruz / Santa Cruz / International & Sprint Tri (& relay); Olympic and Sprint Clydesdale & Athena; International & Sprint Aquabike; Sprint Paratri; Dip and Dash / FinishLineProduction.com 30 — SuperKid / Santa Cruz / Have your kids go outside for some healthy physical activity / First time athletes welcomed and encouraged / Family friendly / FinishLineProduction.com

OCTOBER 6 — T9 Mermaid Triathlon & Duathlon / Capitola / International Tri, Sprint Tri, Sprint Du / MermaidSeries. com

View & list events for free on our website at

Adventure SportsJournal.com

road show

AUG 2–5, 2018 Downieville Classic Downieville

SEPT 21-23, 2018 Kamikaze Bike Games Mammoth

COME BY AND SEE THE LATEST NEWS FROM OUR SPONSORS & ENTER TO WIN GREAT PRIZES.

32 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

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Kayaking, SUPing, Hiking, Mtn & Road Biking, Disc Golf, Climbing, Camping, Bear Valley Adventure Company Rentals, Sales, Service and Information

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About our marketing packages We offer a wide range of promo tools to boost your business’ visibility. We’ll customize a plan that’s just right for your budget and objectives! staff@adventuresportsjournal.com www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com

33

Gear We Love

Goodies for your active lifestyle

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3

1 5

1. 2019 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29er The Specialized Stumpjumper is a legendary mountain bike and the allnew 2019 models have some significant improvements over previous versions.

What’s a bit confusing is that the new design actually comes in three models and each with a variety of build kits.

The 2019 Expert Carbon 29 detailed here is also known as the “Long Travel” Stumpjumper as distinct from the Stumpjumper ST (short travel) model or the Evo model.

With a beefier carbon frame and carbon wheels, the new Stumpjumper Expert 29er grabs your attention for two main reasons: the asymmetrical “sidearm” frame design and the light blue color with neon orange highlights. I was told that the company calls this color “Storm Gray,” which is a bit of a head scratcher because it’s definitely more of a sky blue.

Still, it’s a beautiful bike either way.

The bike comes standard with RockShox front and rear suspension with a variety of riding modes depending on how much you like to fine tune your ride and/ or adjust on the fly. The RockShox Pike fork offers 150mm of travel and the rear shock boasts 140mm of travel. I’m still learning what settings I like as I’ve never been a fan of making too many adjustments while out on the trail.

Basically I want to “set it and forget it,” and so far I have been impressed with how lively the suspension package feels on every ride.

I have never been one to nerd out on bike specs so here is the deal: this bike is super comfortable and fun to ride. If you haven’t owned a new mountain bike in a few years you will be shocked at how far this new breed of “cross country” bike has come. Basically the relatively slack head tube angle and riding geometry 34 ASJ — Aug/Sept 2018

makes this feel more like a downhill bike if you are used to older frame designs.

At just under thirty pounds (fully loaded and ready to ride) this is definitely NOT a downhill bike and it climbs with nimble efficiency.

Another major change for those of us who haven’t upgraded bikes in a few years is the 1X12 SRAM Eagle drivetrain.

Now there is only one shifter to think about (just the rear) and a MASSIVE climbing gear that will help you ascend crazy steep singletrack with ease. Also of note is the 160 mm travel dropper post with pretty much infinite settings (actually there are sixteen individual height settings according to the Specialized website).

Spending over $5000 on a new bike may seem crazy, but if you ride frequently it’s worth saving up for a new mountain bike. You can’t go wrong with a new Stumpjumper if (like me) you enjoy the overall experience of riding uphill (to earn your downhill), and don’t prefer shuttling. If that’s the case this beautiful bike will take your riding to a whole new level.

MSRP: $5,500.00 specialized.com 2. STASHERS TubeTop 2.0 Modular Insulated Frame Bag With ASJ’s motto being “Earn Your Beer,” you can imagine how excited we were to try out these triple-insulated bike bags as they allow for bringing along cold bevos on cycling adventures!

Choose from the all-new Large 4-Can TubeTop Bag along with Medium 3-Can and Small 2-Can versions. Each bike tube cooler has been specially designed to accommodate coozies on the cans. The koozies add a second layer of insulation to the tube cooler.

Use several TubeTops together for a modular, insulated storage system that packs all your drinks, food, clothing, and more — essentially a great, versatile bikepacking system for your bike.

The strap design on the TubeTop 2.0® is a key feature - the wide, durable straps reach all the way around the bag allowing added support and stability for your precious cargo. ​ Fits cans (with koozies on them), pint cans, tall boys, bombers, water bottles, and even many types of wine bottle.

Now in 3 three colors: black, orange and Realtree® Camo. Dimensions: Small 10” x 3” / Medium 15” x 3” / Large 20.5” x 3”.

MSRP: $29.99-39.99 getstashers.com 3. Climbing Addicts Colored Climbing Chalk We were stoked to discover this company that produces colored climbing chalk because they believe in the simple premise that you should leave a place the way you found it. The folks at Climbing Addicts wanted to do something about the trace climbers leave behind via their chalk that compromises the environment for the next climber. So they set out to develop an eco-friendly colored chalk specific to different types and colors of rock.

We were also happy to find out that Climbing Addicts donates a portion of all sales to Leave No Trace!

Choose from Wall Street Gold, Yosemite Gray and Indoor White. Two- and threepack bundles are also available.

MSRP: $11.99-32.99 climbingaddicts.com 4. Sweet Protection Hunter Enduro Shorts for Men Sweet Protection shouts the Hunter Enduro as the “all-round beast of biking

4

shorts” ... and we absolutely agree. These shorts are packed with all the features you want ... and none you don’t.

Sturdy yet comfortable, these shorts are designed with stretch mesh thigh zip vents and lasercut perforated ventilation on the inside leg. They stretch for added comfort and boast articulated knees specifically designed for knee pads and unrestricted pedaling. Cargo and side pockets offer options for stashing small items. Grippy zipper pulls and an adjustable waist round out the wellthought out features.

Made from water repellent material.

Available in a variety of colors. Also available in women’s cut.

MSRP: $129.95 sweetprotection.com 5. HydraPak Seeker 4L Water Storage Solution This ultra-light water storage solution for camping, hiking, or any backcountry adventure is remarkably packable.

Flatten and roll when empty and stow in bailhandle ... the flexible design makes it so light and compact, you’ll forget it’s in your pack. It’s super easy to attach to your pack or you can hang it with top and side tie-downs.

An external capacity gauge allows you to track your hydration intake or measure out the contents, and the 42mm screw cap makes it easy to fill and the rigid rim allows for easy pouring.

This container is backcountry water filter compatible, as the Katadyn® BeFree™ Filter (sold separately) screws on to the top allowing you to filter more water at camp. Its flexible bail handle makes it easy to fill in a stream or lake and carry.

Safe and reliable, the Seeker 4L is 100% BPA & PVC-free.

MSRP: $30.00 hydrapak.com

MU TA N T

Br it tle ice, fr igid temps, and big-ass mountains; this is Silver ton, where the Mutant Series belongs. Built with a per fect fit and the durabilit y to withstand ever y thing from a mor ning on Snow blind to smash-andgrab ascents to ex tended expeditions on ver tical chessboards. Dependable packs w ith alpine-focused features; the y ’ll ge t you up, but they ’ll never let you down.

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Optional Comforts

Up to 160 Solar Watts Extra Thermal Layer Refrigerator/Freezer In/Outside Shower King Size Bed Sport Racks Furnace Stove Sink Etc.

Four Wheel Campers 109 Pioneer Avenue Woodland, CA 95776 (530) 666-1442 www.fourwh.com customerservice@fourwh.com