Remember Eric Rudolph, that zany abortion clinic bomber who fled into the western Carolina woods and evaded a massive federal manhunt for five years? Well, I went slumming this morning and tracked down and Outside Online article from 2003 that…
Gear, Hiking
Montbell ThermaWrap: perfect for Bay Area weather
by tom • February 23, 2008 • 2 Comments
Last winter I picked up a Montbell ThermaWrap jacket mostly because it was on sale, but it’s turned out to be something I wear almost every day during the cool, rainy months. It’s not toast-your-innards warm and it’s not defy-a-downpour…
Backpacking, In the news
News media scaring common folks away from the backcountry?
by tom • February 22, 2008 • 15 Comments
Steve sounds like he thinks this might be a bad thing. Steve has a point: the only way a hiker gets his name in the paper is when he dies dramatically, stupidly, wastefully, or otherwise -fully. (Although there are, ahem,…
Blogs
Are you left-legged or right-legged?
by tom • February 22, 2008 • 0 Comments
The Uncooped blog, which shows more promise with each new post, points to the time-honored human habit of going in circles, which results from one leg being slightly stronger than the other. The post links to an English-language summary of…
Gear
Shoe-lace strategies for finicky feet
by tom • February 22, 2008 • 2 Comments
Here’s something that never occurred to me: you can adjust your shoe-lacing method according to the shape of your feet and whatever aches and pains they might be sending your way. For instance: Wide forefoot with narrow heel 1. Separate…
Gear
Hiking shoe experiment: Reebok Walk DMX Max
by tom • February 21, 2008 • 3 Comments
UPDATE: No dice with these over long distances, which might be why they aren’t on the market anymore. The air pocket in the forefoot is very cushiony, but the constant repetitive up-and-down motion of long walks causes friction at the…
Blogs
Lunar eclipse photos
by tom • February 21, 2008 • 6 Comments
The Mungo Says Bah blog has some nice ones. In case you’ve forgotten (or never really knew, as in my case), a lunar eclipse takes place when the earth gets right in the way of the sun, (i.e. right exactly…
Backpacking, Blogs
Another Calipidder snow-camping outing
by tom • February 21, 2008 • 1 Comment
As long as Rebecca’s out there in the snow, I don’t have to be. We found a nice campsite near but not too close to the rim, and then spent the rest of the day eating and enjoying the scenery.…
Hiking
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on fitness after 50
by tom • February 21, 2008 • 0 Comments
I never have to go surfing for fitness news, all I have to do is stop in on Sports Geezer, which linked to the L.A. Times blog of basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, who promises a series of posts for over-50…