Want Another Chance To Be A Gear Tester?

A few weeks back I posted about Outside Online looking for gear testers, and how you could get in on the action and score yourself some new stuff in the process. Well, it seems that Outside wan't the only major outdoor magazine looking for gear hounds. It seems that Backpacker is looking for a few good men and women to join their new reader gear test panel.

This time out, the process is going to be a bit tougher. You'll start off by sending a short, as in 200 words or so, gear review of one of your favorite pieces of equipment to khostetter1@gmail.com. That e-mail should also include your name and a link to your YouTube video as well.

Yep! You read that right. You'll also need to make a YouTube video too. The video should not exceed five minutes in length, and should show you reviewing a piece of gear. Get creative with it, have some fun, and use the visual medium to the best of your ability. Edit the video if you can, then upload it and send the link along in your e-mail, then wait for the adulation and money to come rolling in. Okay, I made up that last part.

The deadline for submissions is March 30th, so you'll really have to get cracking. Those who are asked to join the team will become part of the Backpacker staff for a 12 month period, including having your name added to the masthead of the print magazine, with your image included, and you'll get all kinds of gear to test over the coming year. Impress them enough, and you'll be allowed to write some reviews for the magazine and website as well.

So, all you aspiring gear reviewers, get your video cameras fired up and your submissions written. Just remember to share the gear wealth when you get something really good! ;)

Patagonia Wants Your Classic Climbs

The spring catalog from gear maker Patagonia has a theme that focuses on classic climbs, which they define as "a handful of routes that consistently capture the minds and hearts of climbers from around the world."

The Cleanest Line, the official blog of Patagonia, has posted their very select list and it's tough to argue with any of them. Each of the climbs also comes with a link to a field report with more information as well. The routes that they chose are as follows:

The Nose. High Exposure. Pinch Overhang
Aguja Guillaumet, Chalten
Hotline, Yosemite
Vandals, Shawangunks
Ahab, Yosemite
Zap Crack, Squamish

There you have it. Six great climbs that are hard to argue with. Would you add anything to the list? Anything they missed? How about The Eiger Direct? It seems to meet the category for me. Great list though.

Jon Bowermaster is off to Madagascar

Speaking of Jon Bowermaster, when last we checked in with him, he was in the Maldives, investigating the impact of rising sea levels on that nation's future. He has since moved on to the Seychelles Islands, where he discovered that pirates have become a very real threat.

His journey across the Indian Ocean wasn't done there however, as he has proceed on to Madagascar, an already poor country that has been hit hard by the global economic recession, and is now struggling with a great deal of political unrest as well. Tourism has been a boon for the island nation for a number of years, and two recent animated films have actually helped that industry. But in this economic environment, many people are not traveling, and with the unrest in Madagascar leading to riots in recent month, those that are venturing abroad, have elected to avoid the country for the most part.

It seems Jon's tour of the region won't end here either, as judging from this map, he'll next be moving on to the Comoros Islands, a small island nation with a rich and diverse history. From there, it's on Mozambique before proceeding north to Tanzania. This trip makes my little foray into the Amazon seem like I was just dipping my toe in the water!

Be sure to check back with Jon's blog regularly. His updates are always insightful and interesting, and I almost always learn something new about the places he visits. They also almost always wish I was tagging along too!

Images From The Amazon

I haven't written too much about my trip to the Amazon yet. I'm still working out the details on the book deal. ;) Just kidding! But expect stories on the trip to be appearing on Gadling in the very near future, and I'll post links here when they go online.

I did, however, want to share some of my photos, and my first video from the Amazon. You can checkout 100 or so images from the trip in my Amazon 2009 Gallery. Overall, I'm fairly happy with the way the photos turned out, although I battled a number of issues with my camera while on the trip. First, the humidity made it difficult to keep the lenses dry and clear at times, and on top of that, I had a failure of the autofocus engine on my telephoto lens, rendering it in manual focus mode only. That isn't necessarily a terrible thing, unless you're trying to capture shots of wildlife on the move. Still, all in all, the photos aren't half bad.

One thing I did learn on the trip is that I think I'm beginning to outgrow my DSLR. It is a consumer level model, and when I bought it a few years back, I was aware of the limitations of the model, but didn't think they would matter much to me. As I've learned more about photography however, those limitations have become a bit more evident, and I'm considering moving up to a more capable camera for future trips.

One piece of equipment that I did enjoy however was my handheld HD video camera. This was the first trip I took it on and it worked wonderfully, and captured some great footage. You can see an example of that below in my first video on YouTube. And if you want to watch it in HD, click here.

I hope you enjoy the photos and video. I'll post more in the near future, and stories on my Amazon adventure will be coming soon. :)

Outside's Best Adventures For 2009

We're a few months into 2009, but that doesn't mean it's too late to select the best travel destinations for the year ahead. That is exactly what Outside Magazine did with their Best Adventures for 2009 list. The list is broken down by region, with the United States, Canada, Central America, South America, New Zealand and Australia, Asia, and Africa all represented. Sorry Europe, there aren't any adventures left on your boring continent. ;)

As you would expect, the list is filled with some really great trips, provided you have the time and money. Staying close to home, here in the States, Outside suggests paddling the Upper Owyhee in Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada, or heading to Alaska for a couple of unique adventures. Canadians can stay in country, and go paddling on Hudson Bay or biking in the Rockies, for plenty of outdoor, active adventure.

And if staying in North America isn't exciting enough, there are some great suggestions on the other continents as well. For instance, head to Guyana for unspoiled wilderness like no where else on Earth, or trek the Larapinta Trail in Australia. Want something a bit more demanding? How about climbing volcanoes in Indonesia? Or taking any number of amazing safaris across Africa.

2009 is going to be the best year for travel deals that we've seen in some time. With the economy still in the doldrums, and many people watching their pennies, the opportunities to save on adventure travel are about is good as they'll ever get. If you have the money and the urge to travel, then I suggest taking advantage of it while you can.

Top Ten Toughest Races

The National Geographic Adventure blog has put out their list of the Top 10 Toughest Races in the world, with some really interesting, and grueling, events making the list. These races cross a number of disciplines, and are pretty much guaranteed to punish the competitors.

Some of the races that managed to make the cut include the just completed Iditarod, which has garnered the moniker of "The Last Great Race". The iconic dog sled race covers more than 1100 miles across Alaskan wilderness in the dead of winter. The Furnace Creek 508 earns a place of honor as well. This cycling event covers 500+ miles through the heat of Death Valley, throwing in more than 36,000 feet of vertical gain in the process. For foot races, the legendary Marathon des Sables, which starts in just two days, makes the list for its grueling six day, suffer-fest through the Sahara Desert.

I won't spoil the rankings or the top selection as the toughest race in the world, suffice as to say that several of the races making the list are ones that i write about regularly. Of course, a certain race that I have a bit of a soft spot for continues to be snubbed by these recent lists of "best" and "toughest" races. I think I need to talk to Don Mann, my boss at Primal Quest, and discuss making the race a bit more challenging. Obviously ten days of non-stop racing over a 600 mile course just isn't enough to cut it any more.

Book Review: Wildebeest in a Rainstorm

One of the best things about extended travel is that it allows you to catch up on your back reading. That's just what I did while I was away, and I started with the latest book from Jon Bowermaster entitled Wildebeest in a Rainstorm: Profiles of Our Most Intriguing Adventurers, Conservationists, Shagbags and Wanderers.

The book is a collection of articles that Bowermaster has written over the past twenty years for magazines such as National Geographic Adventure and Outside profiling some of the top environmentalists, activists, and adventurers from around the globe. Peter Beard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Richard Branson, and George Schaller are just a few of the fascinating people in the book.

Wildebeest offers a perfect display of Bowermaster's writing style, which is, as always, excellent, even over these disparate articles written over the course of two decades about individuals who are all unique in their own right, but share some common characteristics, such as an adventurous spirit, focused determination, and a deep seeded concern with the well being of the planet on some level or another.

A perfect example of this is Peter Beard, an artist and activist, who spent much of his life in Africa, lured there at a young age by Karen Blixen's classic book Out of Africa. Beard is the subject of not just one, but two of the articles contained in Wildebeest, and he is also credited with the quote that gives the book its title. The first article is more of a profile of Beard's life working in a variety of countries on the continent sometimes as a hunter or doing wildlife research, and later taking photographs that would eventually make him famous. The second article follows a number of years later, when Bowermaster catches up with Beard in a New York hospital after a female elephant did its best to send Beard out of Africa permanently. Both stories are well done, and give you insights into Beard's character, which is both inspiring and sometimes tragic, at the same time.

One of the best elements of this book is that Jon happens to be friends with a number of the people that he had profiled. There is a casual familiarity in the way that he writes about them that makes it seem like we're joining him and a buddy as they go off on an adventure in the wilds of Nicaragua, Chile, or some other far flung place. Those friendships also put him in a unique position of understanding these men and women far better than just any writer who is sent off to cover a story.

It was also interesting to read some of the older articles and realize just how relevant they remain today, not only in the case of the particular person being profiled, but for the various causes or environmental issues that remain concerns years later. Bowermaster closes each of the chapters with a very brief update on what has become of the particular person as well, and there were times when I was reading that I couldn't help but look forward to those short follow-ups to find out how things have changed.

All in all, another good book to add to your bookshelf. It is a very quick and interesting read, and if you're like me, you'll be rushing to the Internet to see if you can find out more about these adventurers, and what has befallen them since Jon originally wrote their story.

Mountain Hardwear Launches Outdoor Social Networking Site

Gear manufacturer Mountain Hardwear has launched a new site called The Expedition Republic which looks to be a social networking site for climbers, mountaineers, and outdoor enthusiasts in general.

The splash page for this new endeavor allows you to look around a mountain setting, in pseudo 3D, and click on a few items to get some cool video and more information on some specific topics. There are also links to some of the Mountain Hardwear gear shown in the videos as well, as of course part of the focus it to sell more stuff too.

Clicking the option to sign up for the Republic takes you to a different page which looks more like a traditional social networking site. Here you'll see who the active members are, find all kinds of useful links related to Mountain Hardwear, and a collection of cool mountaineering and climbing videos. Becoming a member allows you to customize your own page, enter the forums (of which here is only one at the moment), read the Republic Blog, and have access to groups, which presumably will help you connect with other users who share your interests. I say presumably, because as of this writing, there aren't any groups yet either.

Clearly the Republic is in it's early stages of development, and MH is trying to build something cool here for the community. if you join now you'll also be eligible to win some great gear, which is never a bad thing. So, if you're not already all social networked out with Facebook, Twitter, and the rest, head on over, sign up and join the fun.

Ten Great American Bike Trails

Forbes Traveler is back with another top ten list, this time offering up their picks for ten great America bike trails.

The trails that make the list come in a wide variety of lengths and styles. There are short trails, requiring only hours to complete, while others will stretch in length for days. Some of these are designed for road bikes for those looking to cruise, while others are technical and demanding, just the thing for the mountain bike crowd. The trails stretch across the country, and offer a variety of scenery as well.

Some of the routes that make the list include the popular Slickrock Trail in Moab, which is just 12 miles in length, but can require as much as 8 hours to complete depending on your skill level. For intermediate riders, they offer up the Katy Trail, found in Missouri, that stretches 225 miles along the Missouri River, in the path of an abandoned railroad line. And for the truly adventurous there is the Trans-America trail, which runs coast to coast from Yorktown, Virginia to Astoria, Oregon, a distance of more than 4247 miles.

With spring officially here, it's time to dust off the bike and head out on your favorite trail of choice. Perhaps one of the trails on the list runs near your place or better yet, maybe the story will inspire you to ride one of the longer ones yourself. Put some air in the tires, and get out on the road.

Nice Climbing Video

This video made it's way through the Twitterverse this morning. Apparently it's about a year old or so, but it's still beautifully shot and great to watch. It shows climber Natalija Gros working a wall with grace and skill. The music is a perfect accompaniment too. Enjoy!



Natalija Gros from Jure Breceljnik on Vimeo.

Adventure World Magazine Launches New Website

Adventure World Magazine has launched a revamped website, offering up an easier to navigate, and read format, and expanding their coverage of adventure activities from around the globe.

Adventure World has been a top resource on the web for outdoor endurance athletes and adventure racers for some time. They always have top notch updates on major adventure sport races, such as the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, Costa Rica's Coast To Coast Challenge, or even the Iditarod. They've even partnered with Sleep Monsters to get the latest race reports from events as they happen, further making them a hub of adventure racing news.

But beyond their coverage of adventure sports, there is a lot more great content in general. For instance, there is a nice feature story on the site right now that reminds us how we can make every day Earth Day, and the articles further down the page spotlight some on going expeditions, gear reviews, and other general adventure news.

Adventure World has also embraced this whole "social media" thing that is all the rage with the kids these days. There are icons on the front page which offer easy access to their RSS feed, Facebook Group, and Twitter feed as well. The end result, even more ways to find their great content, and get updates.

Drop on by and checkout the new site. Then bookmark the page, join the Facebook group, and tweet about how much you love all the changes. :)

Book Review: Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time

As I noted last week, traveling is a perfect time for catching up on your reading. Long flights and layovers in spartan airports with little to do, makes you appreciate a good book all the more. And when heading to South America, I just had to take along a book I had received a few days before departing. I mean, it's called Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time by Richard Conniff. How could I possibly leave that behind when I was headed to the Amazon?

Much like Jon Bowermaster's new book, Wildebeest in a Rainstorm, which I reviewed last week, this book is a collection of articles that the author has written over a number of years. Conniff has extensive experiencing traveling the globe and writing about its creatures, both great and small.

The stories in the book range from trailing wild dogs on Botswana's Okavango Delta to the title adventure, in which Conniff decides to take a dip in a tank full of Piranhas at the Dallas aquarium. In between, you'll learn a lot about bugs, including the level of pain they inflict when they bit or sting, as well as far more than you'd ever wanted to know about their sex lives. There are stories about elusive leopards, cheetahs, humming birds, monkeys, and more.

The books is a fast read, as each of the chapters is a self contained story, and Conniff's writing style is not only interesting, but often humorous as well. I often found myself wrapping up one of the stories and plunging headlong into the next, just to see what new topic he would explore next. And while I was fascinated reading about his adventures tracking leopards in Namibia with the !Kung San, perhaps the greatest trackers in the world, I was equally enthralled with his report on Lemurs in Madagascar and his profile of Justin Schmidt, an entomologist who has devised a scale for measure the pain of an insect bit or sting. The scale ranges from one, described as "a tiny spark", to four, which is "absolutely debilitating".

Through it all, it's clear that Conniff loves what he does, and has enjoyed a long, and stored career covering amazing wildlife in every corner of the planet. He has a passion for all of these creatures, not just the big cats and intelligent primates, but the little creepy crawlies as well, and it shows through in his articles, which are fun to read, but also very informative as well. I learned a lot from each of these articles, sometimes to my dismay. For instance, in the chapter on Schmidt's pain scale, I learned that bullet ants, native to South America, get their name from the fact that when they bite you, it feels like you've been shot. As I lay in my bunk that night, aboard the river boat that was my home on the Amazon for my trip, I recalled how many of those ants I had seen that morning, while trekking in the jungle. I double checked my boots to make sure none came home with me.

Anyone who loves, or is even curious about, the animals and insects that we share this planet with will enjoy this book. It'll make you laugh, but it'll also make you marvel at the incredible diversity of life and its amazing resiliency. So many stories to be told, and Conniff is one of the best at telling them.

Man Lost in Arctic Survives 3 Days Alone

The details are still bit sketchy on this one, but it is a cool story none the less. According to this story, on Yahoo News, an American man working in Greenland became lost, and survived for three days, in arctic conditions.

At the moment the man's name has not been revealed, but we do know that he is a heavy equipment operator at a research station in Greenland's Arctic region. He first went missing sometime in the evening last Wednesday, but the details on how he got lost are not quite explained. He was later found, alone, in good health, and completely coherent, on Saturday morning, following an extensive search and rescue operation.

The remote base, known as the Summit Station, at which the 38-year old is employed, is said to be located in central Greenland, atop more than two mile thick ice. The closest "point of land", according to the article, is some 260 miles away. It is also reported that the average temperature in the overnight hours this time of year ranges from -10ºF on clear nights to 10º when it is overcast.

The man is said to have used some basic survival techniques taught to everyone at the station. He reportedly dug holes in the snow to get out of the wind and would move around regularly to keep his blood pumping and circulating. He is being treated in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, and is expected to make a full recovery.

Anyone else sense a movie of the week from this story?

The Hitchhiking Movie: Hitching Across the U.S.

I'm still cleaning out my mailbox after being gone, and trying to catch up on a few things, and here is one that I thought might be of interest. It is a bit of a different adventure, but certainly one none the less. 11Visions has put together an interesting film called The Hitchhiking Movie, in which two men set out to see if they could cross the United States without a car of their own or any money. Oh yeah, and they wanted to do it in under a week.

There was a time when hitchhiking was fairly popular in the U.S. and you would often see men and women stand alongside the road with their thumb out. But times have changed fairly dramatically since that era, and now you see hitchhikers much more infrequently. As drivers, it has been ingrained in our brains that we shouldn't pick them up, and that that it could be very dangerous. It is in that climate that filmmakers Ryan Jeanes and Phillip Hullquist set out on their cross country odyssey.

The two men set out from New York, with Los Angeles as their ultimate goal. 3000 miles to cover in seven days. It would require the kindness of strangers to complete the trip, and it is questionable if that kindness actually exists any more. Did they make it? You'll have to watch the movie to find out for sure, but you can view a bunch of clips on the films website, and you can pick it up on DVD or watch it online as well.

Pretty cool concept, and proof that adventure travel doesn't necessarily have to include flying off to some far flung location. This seemed like a great adventure too. Setting off on a long distance trek, without ever knowing if you'd make it, and relying completely on others. Crazy! :)

Check out the trailer below.

A Night At The Explorers Club

The Explorers Club recently held their 105th annual dinner, and National Geographic Adventure was on hand to capture all the festivities
for those of us not lucky enough to be in attendance. It was an evening filled with interesting dining choices (think insects and worse), colorful characters, and kangaroo boxing. Check out the video below to see how the Explorers party!

Big City Mountaineers News

Remember Big City Mountaineers? They're the group that sends underprivileged youth out into the wilderness, giving them an opportunity to explore the great outdoors, when many of them have never had the opportunity before. The impact of the program on the youth that participate is profound and lasting, and overall it's one of the best programs of it's kind in the country.

Currently, BCM is looking for volunteers to help out with the backpacking trips scheduled to take place this summer in California. There are 12 such trips currently planned, and they are in need of both male and female volunteers to join the staff and help out the kids that will be coming from a variety of locations in California. If you're interested in joining the team, you can fill out an online application here.

In other news related to Big City Mountaineers, one of their partners, Sole pledged to donate $1 for every pair of Ed Viesturs Signature Edition custom footpads that they sold. The company has now donated more than $50,000 to the cause, making them one of the top five supporters of BCM. Great work Sole! By the way, I'm using a pair of these Ed Viesturs footpads in a pair of hiking shoes, and so far I'm very impressed. They are quite comfortable, easy to custom fit, and have revived a pair of shoes that I was about to otherwise give up on.

Also, if you'd like to get involved with Big City Mountaineers, one of their major fundraising events, that I've posted about before is their Summit For Someone program. As part of the program, you pledge to climb a mountain, and the list to choose from is extensive, and raise funds in the process, that then go to the BCM program. It's been a very successful and wonderful program, not only for the kids, but for those that do the climbs. Definitely a great way to give back, while still being able to take on some cool peaks.

Official Report on the MS Explorer Blames Inexperienced Captain

Remember the MS Explorer? That was the Antarctic cruise ship that rapidly sunk off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula back in November of 2007. An investigation into the cause of the accident has just been completed, and according to the study, the fault lies with an “inexperienced and overconfident” captain.

Jon Bowermaster has posted a story on his blog with all the information. You might recall that Jon was aboard the National Geographic ship Endeavour, which was the first boat on the scene to help pull passengers and crew from the icy waters of the Southern Ocean when the Explorer went down. According to his post, the investigation was conducted by the Liberian Maritime Bureau, the country that holds jurisdiction over the ship, who released a 91-page document detailing the events that led to the accident, and near disaster.

Swedish Captain Bengt Wiman was in command of the Explorer on that fateful cruise, and while he had been in Antarctic waters many times in the past, it had always been as the first mate. This was Wiman's first time in the big chair, and the blame is placed squarely on his shoulders for misreading the ice. Jon notes that the captain felt that it was newer, more fragile ice, but it was in fact older, and much harder than he suspected.

As a result, the Explorer rammed into that ice at too high of a speed, ripping a ten foot long gash in its hull, which explains why the ship sunk so quickly. Early reports were that the hull had a fist-sized puncture. Wiman was all criticized for entering the ice field in darkness, which combined with the speed of the vessel, was a potent combination.

Jon is quick to point out that the age of the ship didn't help matters. The Explorer was more than 40 years old, and was suffering with that age. The hull was reportedly corroding in spots, and had already been patched a number of times, and there were a few failed inspections on its record as well. So while the inexperience of the captain has a role to play, the health of the boat didn't help matters at all, and probably played a major role in its sinking.

There has been some concern for some time now regarding the experience level of crews being sent into the Antarctic waters. More and more people are venturing to the region, and as a result, more ships are needed to keep up with demand. Those ships require a captain and a crew, and there are only so many good, experienced, crews to go around. Navigating the Southern Ocean is not like the Caribbean, and so far we've been fortunate that there hasn't been a serious loss of life, especially when you consider there were two more ships that ran aground this year.

That's The News, and I Am Out of Here...

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the blog is going on a brief hiatus, while I take off on an adventure of my own. I leave tomorrow morning, Friday April 3rd, for Peru, where I'm going to be spending 10 days on the Amazon River and in the Jungle. I'm looking forward to the break, and seeing a part of the world I've never been to before. And when I return on April 12th I hope to have all kinds of great stories, photos, and maybe even some video to share.

In the mean time, you can follow all the developing action on Everest at Alan Arnette's page, and for general information on Everest and the Poles, ExWeb is always a good bet. And don't forget the National Geographic Adventure Blog and the Outside Online Blog as well. Both are excellent sources of news on what is going on in the world of adventure.

I'll be back soon and posting new updates. Take care everyone! :)

Book Review: Two Climbing Books For Your Collection

Okay, I'm incredibly far behind on writing some book reviews, and I'm going to try to do some catching up as soon as I can. I'll take a couple of books with me when I head out of the country at the end of the week, but I wanted to post a couple of reviews before hand, and these two books go together very well for a number of reasons. Both books come from the same author, Clyde Soles, and both are part of the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series from The Mountaineers Books.

Climbing: Training for Peak Performance by Clude Soles
Let me start off by saying unequivocally that this is the best book I've seen in regards to fitness for climbers. The book covers everything you could ever want to know about training for climbing, including diet, aerobic workout, resistance training, flexibility and so much more, and the chapters are filled with so much good information, that you'll constantly be finding new things to add to your preparation for the mountains.

The book begins with a great introduction on the fundamentals of exercise in the general sense, and it's application to climbing specifically. It also touches on a number of other topics, such as how important conditioning can be to the aging climber and the importance of getting everything to work together for you for higher performance on the mountain. The intro sets up a number of themes that run throughout the book, not the least of which is to always have fun in both your training and your climbing. Something we probably all agree with.

The chapters on the workout routines are comprehensive, to say the least, and geared toward climbers of all styles and skill levels. Whether you're a weekend warrior or heading to the Himalaya, you'll find some things in this book that will be of help. Clyde does an excellent job of breaking down the things that work and don't work, and streamlining it for the rest of us. For instance, in the chapter on aerobic exercise, he looks at all the options available to us, including trail running, road running, cycling, and so on, and quickly and easily lays out the pros and cons of each of them. It's a great reference even if you're a non-climber.

While the exercise focused chapters are excellent, there were two others that really caught my attention. The second chapter of the book is focused on nutrition and it's importance to your over all conditioning, and it has some incredibly helpful information on planning for your dietary needs. Many climbers don't make a plan when it comes to their diet, as conventional wisdom has always said that it's important to have plenty of calories, but Clyde notes that it's not just how much you eat, but what you eat as well, and paying attention to those needs can improve performance in a lot of ways. This is a chapter that I highly recommend for anyone who is already a climber, but is looking for ways to improve endurance and performance. Of particular interest would be the section on "fueling the climb".

The other chapter that I found particularly interesting was the third, which focuses on the mental aspects of preparing for a climb. By focusing on mental conditioning, you see the holistic approach that the author is a proponent of, bringing all aspects of body and mind together to make us better prepared for all of our athletic endeavors. Clyde mentions that some of these mental conditioning techniques come from martial arts and yoga, and perhaps that's why I related so well to this chapter. My years of martial arts training made it easy for me to understand what he was trying to achieve. It's another chapter that will likely have something to offer even those that are already in terrific shape.

Other valuable information in the book include the chapter on climbing at altitude, which offers some great advice on helping to improve the acclimatization process, and the chapter on rest and recovery is excellent as well, reminding us why we need to take some time off on occasion as well. The final chapter brings everything together, building synergy on everything we've learned in the previous chapters.

In case you couldn't tell, I was very impressed with this book. Exercise manuals don't tend to be highly interesting to me, but this one is so much more than that. I really enjoyed the whole approach to preparing for climbing, and found valuable information on nearly every page. If you're a climber, and haven't read this book, then I suggest you order it. NOW! Here, I'll even make it simple for you. Click here to go to the Amazon page.

Climbing: Expedition PLanning by Clyde Soles and Phil Powers
Clyde teams up with Phil Powers on this second book that I personally found simply fascinating in so many ways. This book takes a look at every aspect of preparing for an expedition, from the early stages when it is just a dream, to planning and preparing, putting the right team together, researching the mountain, and so much more. No part of an expedition is left undiscussed, and once again we get invaluable information that for many of us, we'd only have considered after years of experience.

Of course, the book doesn't just focus on the preparation for the climb and all the aspects that go into planning the expedition. Several of the most valuable chapters also look at what it's like once you depart on the trip, taking a nicely detailed look at the logistics that go into getting all your gear to the country of your destination, and then on to base camp. The authors look at all manner of important topics, including trekking to BC, communications in the field, and even how to set up the latrine.

As if that wasn't enough, the book then takes a look at the last stage of the expedition, namely getting to the summit, and even what comes afterwards, with some insights on giving post climb speeches and slide shows, ending it all with thoughts of starting it all over again for that next expedition.

Much like Climbing: Training for Peak Performance, this book is also packed cover to cover with really great information, but unlike that book, I think this one will appeal to an even larger audience. There are so many wonderful sidebars and charts that offer up great insights, that even the arm chair mountaineer will be fascinated by the wealth of knowledge contained in the book. And for those planning an expedition of their own, this guide serves as a great resource, whether you're planning your first expedition or your tenth.

Once again, if you read and enjoy mountaineering books, than you should have this one in your collection. While it might not be as action packed as something like Into Thin Air, it will give you a behind the scenes look at what happens before, during, and after a major expedition. Clyde and Phil make the book and its subject matter very interesting, and you'll learn more than you ever thought you would about the logistics of high altitude mountaineering.

Grab this book by clicking here.

On a final note, thanks to Clyde for being patient and understanding with how long it took to get these books read and reviewed. I appreciate you sending these my way and learned a ton from both of them. Great work!

Jon Bowermaster's Dispatches From The Maldives

The man who never stays home (at least not for long), Jon Bowermaster is off once again, this time to the Maldives, where he is investigating the impact of rising sea levels on the tiny island nation which consists of more than 1200 islands spread out across the Indian Ocean south-west of India itself.

Yesterday Jon made his first dispatch from the Maldives, where the President has announced that he intends to make the country carbon neutral by 2010. The islands are a tourist paradise, and the place gets much of it's revenue from the tourism business, so the emphasis will shift now to ecotourism and a move away from fossil fuels and toward wind energy and solar power.

Predictions for the future of the Maldives are dire. With global climate change causing the polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise, the entire nation could be underwater by 2100. Because of that outlook, I put the country on my list of five places to see before they're changed forever, which I wrote at Gadling a few weeks back. If things continue as they are now, 80% of the islands could disappear before the end of this century, meaning that many of the 400,000 people who currently live there will be forced to find new homes.

Jon will be touring the area by boat and float plane over the next two weeks. Look for more dispatches on what is happening there right now in the days ahead. And be sure to checkout Jon's newly re-launched website, which has a great design, access to an amazing amount of information, and a simple to navigate layout. My favorite new feature? The "Where is Jon?" tab in the upper right corner of the home page. It tells me where he's off to in his ongoing adventures.