Category: Outdoors

Go Geocaching on the iPhone or Android Phone

Geocaching, a modern day treasure hunt complete with GPS device, can be a fun activity. Seek out containers and other goodies left for you to find. Maybe place your own geocache for others to find.

Garmin just made it easier to take part in geocaching. It’s now offering an OpenCaching app for iPhone and Android devices. The app is an extension of Garmin’s geocaching web site OpenCaching, which went live in December. The app is currently free, though that could change. Continue reading Go Geocaching on the iPhone or Android Phone

Miura Golf Introduces Old-World-Quality Craftsmanship With New Line of Forged Irons

We like to report on the latest innovation and new technology, but sometimes the “old” way is still better. Miura Golf shows this in its video highlighting its Passing Point 9003 forged irons.

Creator Mr. Miura and his sons Yoskitaka and Shinei think of their forged clubs as “active machines” says Adam Barr, president of Miura Golf. As the video shows there is art mixed with the forging process in how the clubs are crafted.

Miura Golf Official Website

Wireless Gets AMPED Up

If you’re away from the office that can be a good thing, but getting out to nature – such as in a boat or RV – can be a real drag if you need to rely on wireless.

But AMP Wireless has announced a new high power solution for indoor and outdoor application for use in boats, recreational vehicles, buildings and more. The UA600EX High Power Wireless-N 600mW Professional Series USB Adapter provides extreme range for Mac or Windows computer.

The Amped Wireless UA600EX High Power Wireless-N 600mW Pro USB Adapter is the first of a full line of Professional Series high power indoor and outdoor WiFi solutions for users who require demanding WiFi performance and range for their Windows or Mac based laptops and desktop computers. The high performance, High Power Wireless-N 600mW Pro USB Adapters allows PCs and Macs to connect to 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n WiFi networks from extreme distances indoors or outdoors. The UA600EX will have a MSRP of $119.99 and an estimated street price of $99.99.

Amped Wireless Online Store

Old Sport Continues To Make a Comeback

What do you need to play polo? Well, you either need a large field and a lot of horse or a large swimming pool. But there is another game, namely bicycle polo. The Minnesota Daily, the sport is starting to make a comeback, and not just in the land of a thousand lakes. The paper notes that the Minneapolis Bike Polo team placed fifth our of 36 teams in a tournament this past March in Little Rock, Ark.

The first match was reportedly held back in Ireland in 1891 when bicycles were used in place of horses. Cyclist Richard J. Mecredy may not be of the Abner Doubleday notoriety but perhaps one day he’ll be as famous – at least to the players of bicycle polo.

The game had made a comeback throughout the 1990s with a variety of rules, but in 1999 players in Seattle moved to the hard-court version, and since 2007 has seen a spike in players – with the game now being played around the world, including the United States, Ireland, England, Germany, France and even far off places like Indonesia, Argentina and Pakistan. Cycle polo was even recognized by the International Cycling Union in 2001.

The game is currently played on both grass fields and on the hardcourt, but alas no water bicycle polo version… yet.

[Via Minnesota Daily: Bikers gear up for polo season]

Texas Power Company to Pretty Up Trails

Richardson, Texas is about to get some new hiking and biking trails, courtesy of Oncor Electric Delivery Company. The Oncor Texas Trails program will turn the company’s transmission rights-of-way into hike and bike trails.

Oncor worked with la terra studio, a Dallas-based landscape architectural firm to develop a design template for the Oncor Texas Trails project. Oncor employees will volunteer their time to support this program and follow the landscaping template to beautify the trails.

“We are in our communities listening to our customers and they tell us that community trails are important to them,” said Oncor Chief Customer Officer Brenda Jackson. “The Oncor Texas Trails program is a way we can truly give back to our customers throughout our communities. It will also give our employees another opportunity to support community needs.”

The power company already has a number of hike and bike trails in its transmission rights-of-way. New templates for the trails include recreational use of transmission rights-of-way, including native and low maintenance landscape designs.

The Oncor Texas Trails program is a part of Oncor’s commitment to supporting health and fitness initiatives.

Oncor Electric Delivery Company

Bay Area Residents Say You Can Bike There

The League of American Bicyclists calls May National Bike Month. It makes a lot of sense. For a large part of the country, cyclists are just getting back on the saddle. And many of us are itching to do so. We don’t need an excuse such as Bike Month, but it’s nice motivation.

Additional incentive is Bike to Work Day, Thursday May 12. It’s the 17th Annual of such days for the Bay Area. This year they’re hosting sign-ups on the YouCanBikeThere.com web site. Get a few friends and coworkers together to sign up as a team of 2-5 people. The Team Bike Challenge officially kicks off May 1. Log your rides on the teambikechallenge.org site to compete. You can check your team’s status through the personalized Facebook Friends Leader board.

For the Bike to Work challenge, every member of the top scoring team in each county will receive a bike-related prize valued over $50. The top scoring team in the Bay Area receives a bike-related prize valued at over $1,000.

Even if you’re not in the Bay Area, the weather is starting to lend itself to biking to work and other places you may be headed. The Bike to Work challenge says “It’s a fun and easy way to see just how much biking does for your health, budget, and the environment.”

League of American Bicyclists

Bike to Work Day’s You Can Bike There

Log your miles at Team Bike Challenge

Composite Carbon Bamboo Surfboard Ready to Catch Some Waves

Last week we noted a surfboard that added solar power, and this week we noted something almost as unique and certainly just an interesting. It is a board that is made of composite materials – combing space age carbon with the natural grass of bamboo!

This is the result of a five year R&D project from Tiki International. The company has now unveiled its first production models that utilize Carbon Bamboo composite technology, build around a high density EPS core, with bamboo layers and carbon rails. The result is a board that has strength yet weight gain. The board will be available in three shapes created by world renowned surfboard shaper Bruce McKee.

This new Feather Foil, as it has been dubbed, offers the natural feel of a bamboo board with the responsive performance of a carbon deck. Consider it the best of both worlds the meeting of old age and space age.

[Via Global Surf News: Tiki launch carbon bamboo composite technology]

Geigerrig Hydration Packs Win Outdoor Retailer Award

Spring is finally here, but for Geigerrig, winter went out in a big way. The company, which is maker of hydration packs and hydration systems, won the best new product award at the 2011 Winter Outdoor Retailer Show, and was selected as “Editor’s Choice” from Adventure World Magazine:

“These are the best hydration bladders on the market. They have plenty of well deserved awards to prove it. The bladders are actually called engines because, while they look similar to a regular bladder, they actually spray water. Just pinch the bite valve with your teeth or fingers and the water sprays right out so that you can keep the oxygen flowing into your lungs while you drink. You pump up a separate chamber in the engine to pressurize it with a ball similar to that of a blood pressure cuff which is stowed in a pouch on the shoulder strap of your pack.”

These packs are noted for their pressure pumps that mean users aren’t sucking water out of a tube. All you have to do is bite or pinch down and the water will flow. The result is that because water flows, users tend to drink more often. And staying hydrated is the key.

There is even a video of how easy this system is to use (video after the jump) Continue reading Geigerrig Hydration Packs Win Outdoor Retailer Award

Surfboard That Catches Waves and Rays

Surfers like to catch waves, and typically do so where there tends to be a bit of sun. There are times that people surf in less than sunny locations, but not a new innovation will want them to catch waves, and catch some rays of the sun as well.

Tony Jones of Coral Reef Wetsuits essentially added a solar panel to his custom board, and it adds power to the deck, enough to just up cameras, flashlights, mobile phones and portable radios. So while he’s out riding the waves, the solar power charges a 2200 mA lithium battery. The solar panel doesn’t even need direct sunlight to charge efficiently, but with the board on the roof it could even trickle charge the car’s battery.

This is certainly an interesting twist on getting positive energy!

[Via Earth Techling: Solar Surfboard Lets You Catch Waves, Power]

Students Push for Bike-Friendly Streets in Prescott

Students at Prescott College in Prescott, AZ aren’t happy with the state of biking in their city and as part of a class project they’re coming up with a solution to present to the local government. Students enrolled in the course The Bicycle: Vehicle for Social Change, studied possible solutions for bike-friendly roadways and plan to follow-through in changing the community.

The course guides students through the bicycle’s beneficial role in society. Students traveled to Europe to attend the Velo-city conference in Seville, Spain last month where the Charter of Seville was signed. The Charter is a document that proposes the acceptance of cycling. At the Velo-city conference the students observed the gathering of officials from cities including the Netherlands, Spain and other communities around the world. Continue reading Students Push for Bike-Friendly Streets in Prescott

HeathQuest On Station

There is no denying that kids today need to get out and get a little more active. And maybe putting them through some workout stations will be just the thing to get them on the path to better fitness. BCI Burke have announced a new initiative with its HealthQuest Fitness Stations.

Designed for ages 13 and up, HealthQuest Fitness Stations provide the tools and information needed to complete a total body workout for beginner, intermediate and advanced users. Each individual can work at their own pace and intensity, modifying the suggested exercises, circuits and workouts to suit their own needs.

These stations combine the advanced science of total body workout and conditioning technology with good old-fashioned playground fun. Each of the HealthQuest Fitness Stations includes four circuits addressing the elements of a whole body workout from start to finish. Separate workout stations address upper body, stretching and balance, core strength and cardiovascular exercises. Continue reading HeathQuest On Station

Antigua Brings Fashion to the Fairway

Fashion on the fairway this fall will be about a lot more than just plaid. And while it might be hard to consider that the fall golf season is just around the corner – especially given that for a lot of us it still feels like winter – it is never too early to think fashion forward.

We’re hearing about Antigua’s fall based outerwear, which is created to function in various climates and will incorporate the trend that focuses on layering. As the weather changes – and do we know it can change – clothing needs to be able to be taken off or put on, to adjust to comfort and function. This year Antigua is layering up beginning with base layers that can be combined with wind resistant or water resistant wind shirts and jackets as well as worn with fuller weight outerwear pieces to function against more inclement weather, and feature a proprietary Desert Dry moisture management technology. These are constructed with a hyper-micro poly fleeced backing against a super soft interlock face which has enough weight to be worn alone and is light enough that it layers remarkably well. Continue reading Antigua Brings Fashion to the Fairway

Wall of Bikes – For Storage

Many of us have a “wall of bikes” in our garage, basement or extra room. As apartment dwellers know, using the wall saves a lot of room. So how about using the outside wall of an apartment building or office structure for a wall of bikes?

This is the idea behind a Ferris-wheel design by Manifesto Architecture, which was submitted to a recent design competition in Seoul, South Korea. The result would be vertical bike storage that could hold 20 to 35 bikes. The bikes would be rotated up and out of the way. So instead of needing to take nearly an entire floor to store the bikes, they could be lifted up and out of the way in a space in an alley or rear of the building.

The issue of course is that many cities – including New York – don’t actually have an abundance of alleyways – despite what Batman comics might otherwise suggest. But there are plenty of nooks and other spaces. And this would certainly make good use of every inch of urban space.

And the designers even thought of worst case scenarios – such as a power failure. The Ferris-wheel system could even be cycle powered, so you have to sit and spin to get to your bike!

[Via Cyclelicious: Bike Hanger vertical bicycle storage]