Indonesian Digital News Archive

We're now just a little over a week away from the start of the 2012 Tour de France. For many of us it is amongst the top sporting events of the year and I can honestly say that I look forward to it for months ahead of time. But others see a large shadow looming over the sport of cycling as doping scandals mount and big name stars drop like flies. I even have some close personal friends who don't tune in to watch the Tour any more. For them, Outside magazine has put together a list of five reasons we should all watch this year.

Outside's list includes some compelling reasons, at least for someone like me who is already a big fan of the sport. That list includes the following:

No Clear Favorite - The race is wide open this year, especially with Alberto Condator banned and Andy Schleck out with an injury. 2011 champ Cadel Evans will be back to defend of course.

Extreme Carnage - Not sure I agree with this one, as I'm not the kind of person who tunes in to auto racing to watch the wrecks either. But there are always nasty crashes at the Tour, although it'll be tough to top some of the big ones from last year.

Fastest Bikes Ever - The top cycling companies continue to refine their designs and as a result, the bikes are improving nearly every year. This year's bikes will certainly be the fastest to ever hit the roads of France. Speaking for myself personally, the bike porn is part of the reason I enjoy watching so much. I can't help but drool over those machines I'll probably never get to ride, let alone own.

It is a "race of truth" - This is a reference to the time trials that are always a part of the Tour de France. I know I love it when the race comes down to two or three great riders dueling it out for the Yellow Jersey. Hell, everyone loves that. Except maybe the Schleck brothers.

American Riders - Outside is an American magazine, so of course they're going to cheer on the toop American cyclists, even if there is little chance of one making the podium. The U.S. does have a very good crop of up and coming riders however and it will be fun to watch them mature and gain experience in the race. I suspect we'll see Tyler Farrar contending for some sprint finishes at the very least, although I'm not sure anyone can touch Mark Cavendish for the Green Jersey.

The article on Outside Online goes more into detail in each category and it is a good way to get the juices following for the beginning of the race next Saturday. I'll be doing regular coverage as much as I can this year. I know I for one don't need an incentive to watch. Can't wait!

Yesterday Outside magazine posted a story about a disturbing incident that took place on the North Side of Everest back in May. It seems that a group of young men, all graduates from the Tibet Mountaineering Guide School (TMGS), assaulted a Chinese climber that they suspected of being on the mountain without a permit. When the man raised his ice axe in an attempt to defend himself, the group over powered him, roped his hands together and proceeded to force him back down the mountain. One witness who saw the incident is quoted in the article as saying, "It was disgraceful. They literally kicked him down the ropes. It was a disgusting example of a pack of bullies egging each other on and literally beating him down the hill."

Obviously being on the mountain without a permit is a major offense and Outside writer Grayson Schaffer says this climber was keeping to himself, which is a dead giveaway of someone trying to keep a low profile on the world's tallest mountain. But that certainly doesn't justify the treatment of this man, who would normally be fined heavily, kicked off the hill and possibly banned from climbing in Tibet for a period of time.

To add a bit more fuel to the fire, the climber also happened to be Chinese. Considering the delicate nature of the relationship between the Tibetans and the Chinese, its possible that the young men involved in this incident may have let pent up frustrations boil over to a degree. There is also a fear that the Chinese government could react harshly to the treatment of a Chinese citizen, possibly cracking down further on the Tibetans.

The Outside article says that the entire incident was captured on film mountain guide Kari Kobler who is one of the founders of Kobler & Partner, a company that leads expeditions to the North Side on an annual basis. Kobler says that he has no intention of releasing the film and that he has ties to the TMGS, where discipline is being handled internally. Kobler also indicated that the same group of thugs may have been involved in other problems on the North Side this year. He didn't wish to elaborate, but Schaffer speculated it had to do with the theft of bottled oxygen.

Stories like this are always a bit unsettling, as we like to think that their is a camaraderie that exists amongst the climbers on these big mountains. Hopefully this won't escalate into something really nasty between the Chinese and the Tibetans, but we do know that Beijing doesn't take kindly to any kinds of displays of aggression there.

The North Side has always been a bit more unruly than the South Side and this could be an indication that that side of the mountain still has a long way to go before it is completely tamed.

In celebration for its 35th anniversary, Outside magazine is giving away a $10,000 adventure grant to help fund what it calls a "smart, creative, and (perhaps) slightly foolhardy endeavor." Over the past few months they've solicited entries for the grant and now they've announced the five finalists on the Outside Facebook page.

The five finalist are certainly a diverse group. They include Daniel Alvarez, who hopes to paddle from Minnesota to Key West Florida; Quinn Langbauer and Mike Tassels Richard, who intend to cycle across Siberia; long disance hiker Ben Mayberry who will travel the American west on foot and pack raft; Ali Bayless and Hannah Bassett who want to sail the California coast in search of people with dream jobs and  Chase Berenson and Charla Hughes who dream of traveling the length of Thailand in a tuk-tuk.

Each of these is a unique adventure to say the least and all of them sound like fun. You can visit the Outside Facebook page to find out more about them and watch videos from the finalists. Then, cast your vote for the one that you think is most deserving. The winner will be awarded the grant!

We're all Everest all the time around here today, but it kind of is the epicenter of the adventure world at the moment.

With that in mind, Outside Online has a great profile of speed-climber Chad Kellogg as he prepares for a run at the Everest speed record. The story was written by Grayson Schaffer, who has been stationed in South Side Base Camp all season long and has had the chance to get to know Chad while he is there.

The story takes a look at all the challenges that Kellogg has had to deal with over the past few years, including the loss of numerous loved one, most notably his wife Lara. He's also dealt with injuries, financial set backs and plenty of other problems, and yet he continues to pursue his passion for climbing all over the world.

At the moment, as the rest of the teams head for the summit, Chad is preparing to have a run at Marc Batard's 1988 record of 22 hours, 29 minutes from BC to summit and 36 hours for the round trip, all done without oxygen. There has been some rumblings about a fast time, turned in by Kazi Sherpa a decade later, who made it to the summit in 20 hours, 24 minutes, but Outside says that Kazi used oxygen on the descent, so his record is in some dispute.

Either way, reading the article I get the impression that Chad is going to hit the slopes and simply see what he can do. If the record is attainable he'll go after it, but mostly this is about him continuing to chase his passions in the mountains.

There are some concerns about the current weather window closing early next week. It would be a shame if Kellogg didn't at least have a go at the record. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.