Indonesian Digital News Archive

Adventure racing teams looking for a great race this year will want to mark September 29th on their calendars, as that is when the 2012 Checckpoint Tracker National Championship will take place in Oak Hill, West Virginia. The race, which will feature the usual AR disciplines of trail running, mountain biking and paddling will be 100 miles in length and take roughly 30 hours to complete.

Registration for the event is already open, and filling up fast, so if you're interested in racing in this event I'd recommend you sign-up ASAP. The course design and race management are being handled by Odyssey Adventure Racing this year and if you know anything about the sport, you know that they have a sterling reputation for putting on quality events.

The Gauley River National Recreation Area will be the setting for the 2012 edition of the race and we're promised plenty of Class III and IV whitewater for the kayaking and river boarding sections. A zipline will also be part of the course this year as well, adding another adrenaline inducing thrill to the event.

For more information click here.

Update: When I originally posted this story I noted that registration was already open. Early registration actually started today, June 18. Sign up early and receive a discount on entry, but early-bird discount ends on July 1.

There is a popular expression that I'm sure I'll hear more than once today. "TGIF!" or "Thank God it's Friday!" But the video below reminds us that we should be thankful for every day.  Live life to the fullest be happy to be alive. It's a message we should remind ourselves of often and don't just reserve the livin' for the weekends.

When Outdoor Research offered to send me their new Axiom lightweight shell for a review, I jumped at the chance, even though I knew it had a lot to live up to. After all, not only is it the latest and greatest creation from one of my favorite gear companies, the Axiom has already earned Gear of the Year awards from both Outside magazine and National Geographic Adventure. To say my expectations were set high is an understatement, but after using the shell for a few weeks I can safely say that it not only lives up to the hype, it actually exceeds it.

Weighing in at just 13.5 ounces (382 grams), the Axiom is made from the newest fabrics from Gore-Tex. Normally that would tell me two things, first the jacket will perform very well in bad weather, and two it'll probably cook the wearer in the process. Gore-Tex is well known for its ability to repel moisture but it is equally well known for how warm it can get underneath. That simply isn't the case with this new, 21st century, version of the fabric however and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Axiom maintained the great performance in inclement weather but gained the ability to breathe freely as well. So much so that Outdoor Research was able to save weight simply by eliminating pit vents altogether.

Lightweight and breathability aren't the only elements that this new Gore-Tex fabric brings to the table. It also has a higher level of elasticity that allows for more freedom of movement while hiking or climbing. I always appreciate outdoor apparel that doesn't impede motion, particularly when you need it to work well under the most demanding circumstances. Thanks to this newly developed fabric, the Axiom can keep you dry and moving swiftly no matter what the weather throws at you.

New Gore-Tex is only half of the equation however and Outdoor Research has incorporated some great design choices to make the Axiom stand out as well. For instance, the jacket features three zipped pockets, each of which can be accessed even while wearing a backpack. As you would expect, the adjustable hood has been built to fit over a helmet and the zippers are high quality and weather resistant.

The Axiom makes a great jacket for any number of outdoor activities from peak bagging and trail running to cross country skiing and backpacking. Its combination of light weight, excellent fit and fantastic performance in inclement weather have made it the new standard that all other shells will be compared to. OR prices the Axiom at $375 which is a relative bargain compared to much of the competition as well.

If you're in the market for a new lightweight shell, there seems to be one clear-cut choice at the moment. The Axiom performed above and beyond my expectations and I have a feeling it will do the same for you.

After years of mostly being ignored, the Mariana Trench has become a busy place this year. A Chinese submersible named Jiaolong (aquatic dragon) is set to make another dive into the trench sometime in the next few days, where its crew of three hopes to plummet 7000 meters (22,965 ft) below the surface of the ocean. To date, the vessel has only been down to about 5188 meters (17,020 ft).

As of the last report, the small craft was still aboard the  Xiangyanghong 09 science vessel and was approximately 200 nautical miles away from the proposed dive site. The crew was waiting for a tropical storm to vacate the area, and for seas to calm, before proceeding with the operation. They intend to make a shake-down dive to 5000 meters (16,404 ft) before proceeding deeper towards their ultimate goal.

This deep sea expedition is vastly different from the one James Cameron made back in March. For starters, Cameron went down solo and in a smaller vehicle. The Jiaolong will be manned by Ye Cong, Cui Weicheng and Yang Bo who are hoping to claim a "deepest dive" record, although what that record is I'm not sure. When he went down a few months back, Cameron reached a depth of about 10,940 meters (35,900 ft).

Still it is great to see more renewed interest in exploring the ocean's depths and I'll be watching to see how this crew fairs when it finally does make its big dive. Hopefully all will go well and they'll come back with some interesting finds as well.

At the Teva Mountain Games a few weeks back a company by the name of Trek Light Gear unveiled a new backpack that is sure to be a hit with those who like to go light.

The GearJunkie has the scoop on this interesting little product that is dubbed the "PackBack." The bag, which is made out of parachute nylon, weighs in at just 3 ounces and compresses into its own stuff sack and can easily fit inside of your pants pocket. When its expanded, the bag is said to be able to hold up to 30 pounds although it offers few frills beyond hits packability.

Apparently the pack was a hit at the Mountain Games, as the first run of the product, which retails for $26.95, sold out very quickly. Trek Light doesn't even have any in stock at the moment, and we're told to check back later in the summer when they become available again.

While I wouldn't anticipate this ultralight pack replacing most full featured daypacks, it certainly could come in handy while traveling. Having a tiny piece of gear that instantly becomes a larger pack would be a great addition as far as I'm concerned. Looks like a handy item to have along and I can see where it would be useful in a variety of circumstances.

National Geographic will host a "Evening of Exploration" event tonight to honor two famous explores that have gone to the opposite ends of the Earth. The organization will posthumously present it's highest honor, the Hubbard Medal, to Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard and name Austrian mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner its Explorer of the Year.

Piccard, who died in 2008, is best known for diving into the depths of the Mariana Trench, along with Don Walsh, back in 1960. The duo were the first to travel seven miles below the surface of the ocean, into the Challenger Deep, to explore the floor of the Pacific. That feat wouldn't be repeated for another 52 years, when James Cameron did it a few months back. Cameron and Walsh, who received the medal in 2010, will join Nat Geo CEO John Fahey in presenting the award to Piccard's family.

Kaltenbrunner, who is no stranger to readers of this blog, is being honored for her climbing efforts on the world's tallest peaks. Last year she became the first woman to summit all fourteen 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen when she topped out on K2. It took her 13 years to accomplish this feat and along the way she has been a great role model for other climbers, men and women. She'll receive the Explorer of the Year award from last year's winner, Kenny Broad, along with a specially engraved Rolex Explorer timepiece. Rolex is the sponsor for evening's festivities.

Congratulations to the family of Jacques Piccard and to Gerlinde on these much deserved honors. For more information about Piccard, Gerlinde and the Evening of Exploration click here.

Two Belgian adventurers are in the final stages of planning a canoe and hiking expedition to the remote Inari Lake, located in Finland. The journey, which is set to begin in September, will be three weeks in length and looks to put a heavy emphasis on exploration of the region. The duo hopes to make a complete circumnavigation of the lake, provided the weather allows, spending plenty of time on and off the water.

Bert Poffé and Dirk Michiels will travel on foot and by canoe as they not only paddle the shores of Inari but also trek through the wilderness that surrounds it. The lake, which is the third largest in Finland, falls above the Arctic Circle in the northernmost region of Lapland. Covering 1040 square kilometers (646 sq. miles), Inari has more than 3000 islands sprinkled across its waters, while a wild and untamed wilderness lines its banks.

Refreshingly enough, Bert and Dirk say that they won't be chasing any speed records or racing from point to point on a map. They intend to explore the region as much as they can and that means making slow, deliberate progress. It is their hope that by taking this approach they can genuinely get to know the lake and all of its hidden corners.

In preparation for their expedition they've launched a blog that provides much more information on Inari Lake and the region they'll be visiting. Hopefully they'll also be updating that blog as they travel to keep us not only informed of their progress but share what ever they discover there.

Personally I love these small, grassroots adventures that send adventurous men and women off on excursions to remote areas. These two men sound like they have the hearts of explorers past and visiting remote Lapland should be an amazing experience.

By now I'm sure everyone is aware of the charges against Lance Armstrong by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The allege that they have blood samples from 2009 and 2010 that show the signs of possible tampering, including the use of EPO and blood transfusions. The story of these charges was big news in the cycling world, and beyond, yesterday and as you could probably guess, Lance had a few things to say on the matter.

Not long after the story broke yesterday afternoon, Lance posted the following statement to his website:

I have been notified that USADA, an organization largely funded by taxpayer dollars but governed only by self-written rules, intends to again dredge up discredited allegations dating back more than 16 years to prevent me from competing as a triathlete and try and strip me of the seven Tour de France victories I earned. These are the very same charges and the same witnesses that the Justice Department chose not to pursue after a two-year investigation. These charges are baseless, motivated by spite and advanced through testimony bought and paid for by promises of anonymity and immunity. Although USADA alleges a wide-ranging conspiracy extended over more than 16 years, I am the only athlete it has chosen to charge. USADA’s malice, its methods, its star-chamber practices, and its decision to punish first and adjudicate later all are at odds with our ideals of fairness and fair play. 

I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one. That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence.

 So there you have. Lance once again maintains his innocence and points to his MANY drug tests over the years as evidence. He is right in pointing out that he has never failed a test and he is quite possibly the most tested athlete in history.

I find it interesting that the USADA is dredging up blood samples from 2009 and 2010, which is when Armstrong came out of retirement to ride. The allegations against Lance were already out there at that point and it would seem foolhardy for him to try to ride again while doping. He had to know that he would be under even more scrutiny in his return than he had been before.

I'm also disappointed that this could mean that Lance won't get to compete in Kona in October. I was personally looking forward to seeing how he would do at the Ironman Championships and it now seems unlikely that this situation will be resolved before then.

This is probably going to get very messy before we're done.

I mentioned earlier that it was a day for cycling news and it seems we may have saved the biggest story for last. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has filed charges against 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, alleging that he used performance enhancing drugs during his career.

As the linked article states, Armstrong has always denied using any kind of banned substance while competing, but if he is found guilty of the charges, he'll face a lifetime ban from the sport. That doesn't seem to be an issue however, as he retired from competitive cycling more than a year ago. He is immediately banned from competing in triathlons however, a sport that he has recently taken up and has been quite competitive in.

The USADA says that it has blood samples from Armstrong dating back to 2009 and 2010 that show the signs of of potential doping. The indicators are that Lance could have potentially used EPO or undergone blood transfusions in an effort to increase performance. It should be noted that over the course of his career, Armstrong has been tested more than 500 times and has never once tested postivie.

These charges also come after the U.S. government dropped its investigation of Armstrong a few months back. At the time, it seemed that that would put an end to the story, which had yielded little results and cost millions of dollars. Now it seems that Armstrong isn't quite out of the woods just yet.

I'm sure we'll hear a lot more about this story in the next few days. It should prove interesting, although potentially very disheartening, for fans of the sport. Stay tuned!

I have been searching for this video ever since I heard Bam Margera (of Jackass fame) was injured in a tandem kayaking drop over a 100-foot waterfall. Margera made the drop a few weeks back with paddling-pro Steve Fisher and managed to land himself in the hospital in need of emergency surgery. He reportedly hurt his back and suffered a hernia in the fall. The video hit the Internet two days ago and  now we can all enjoy the hijinks.

The cycling news just continues to roll in today with the report that 2010 champ (by way of an Alberto Contador positive drug test) Andy Schleck is out of the 2012 Tour de France. Schleck, who has been amongst the favorites over the past few years, suffered a spinal injury in the Criterium du Dauphine which will keep him off the bike for at least five weeks and may prevent him from riding in the Olympics as well.

At a press conference earlier today it was confirmed that Schleck is suffering from a spinal fracture that makes it very painful to ride at the moment. It is believed that even if he is able to ride by the time the Olympics start, he won't be in any condition to compete with the world's best, many of which will be coming off the Tour. The Olympic race is one of the earliest events, starting on July 28, exactly one week after the Tour champ is crowned on the Champs Elysees.

Over the past few years Schleck, who rides with his brother Frank on Team RadioShack-Nissan Trek, has become one of the best riders in professional cycling. He has a combination of skills, that includes formidable climbing abilities, that have put him on the podium in Paris on several occasions. But his inability to ride a consistent time trial has hurt him in the past as riders like Contador and last year's winner Cadel Evans have much more skill in that discipline.

Schleck's withdrawal from the race will really make it a wide-open affair. Evans will be back of course, but Contador is serving out a suspension and won't be in the peloton either. We could possibly see a number of fresh faces at the front of the pack this year, and as always I can't wait for the race to start in a few weeks time.

My selection for a rider to watch is Bradley Wiggins and I felt that way before his great showing at the Criterium. I feel that if he stays healthy, he will be amongst the leaders in the Tour this year.