Happy Earth Day

In case you hadn't noticed the grove of trees growing out of the Google logo this morning, we'll go ahead and wish you happy Earth Day. Here's a few fun Earth Day festivities around the world:

1) In Bangkok, everyone's invited to group meditation at Dhammakaya Temple, where the Assembly of 100,000 Monks aims to create world peace through inner peace. 

2) In Calgary, Alberta, citizens are getting out for a 22-minute trash pickup today (April 22, get it?). That may not sound like a long time, but if each of the city's approximately 100,000 citizens did it, that would be almost 37,000 hours of cleaning time.

3) In LA, the Wilshire Center Business Improvement Corporation is hosting a car-free expo, with a bike raffle, concerts, and a "musical yoga experience." Your guess is as good as mine.

4) Baltimore Green Week kicks off April 26, with an EcoFestival in the park, tours of green homes, and group hikes.

5) Also on April 26 is Salt Lake City's Party for the Planet, with food, music, and animal meet n' greets at the Hogle Zoo.

For the rest of us, Google has an interactive Earth Day map, where readers across the globe are sharing their environmentally-minded plans ("building my own electric car," says Mike in Idaho; "Take short showers!" admonishes Rosalie in Texas). What are your plans?

--Emily Matchar

Surfers Provide Home For Orphans

Though they'd lived their entire lives in Costa Rica, land of sugar-white sands and ethereal turquoise surf, many of the kids at San Jose's Hospicio de Huerfanos orphanage had never seen the ocean.

In 2002, a group of American surfers looking to give back to the community decided to change that. Buddies Tim McManus, Steve Sanchez, and John O’Toole took some orphans surfing, spending the day teaching them basic skills and generally just hanging out.

Six years later, that day at the beach has grown into a project called Pura Vida No Pro, attracting both American and Costa Rican volunteers, including several pro surfers. About 100 volunteers and 60 kids hit the beach in 2007, and the event is expected to be big again this November.

McManus has seen his surf buddy, Jose, grow from a shy 11-year-old scared of the water to a confident 16-year old dude in a Quiksilver shirt.

"It's kind of fun to see him emerging into the surf culture," said McManus, a 31-year-old publishing company employee from Charleston, SC.

With money raised from the American surf community, Pura Vida No Pro has bought a house in San Jose to serve as a transitional living home for boys aging out of the orphanage. Pura Vida also sells t-shirts emblazoned with the kids artwork.

You should be able to buy one around May 15 on their Web Site.

They will soon have a photo book about the project, and a documentary, "Finding Pura Vida," premieres at the Charleston International Film Festival early next month. The group hopes to share the love of surfing with kids from other Central American countries in coming years.

"Once you work with them you realize that you want to be able to do more," McManus said.

--Emily Matchar

Video Interview: Snowboarder Mason Aguirre

Twenty-year-old Mason Aguirre may seem like your typical snowboarder, but winning the 2006 World Superpipe Championships, placing fourth in his first year at the Olympics, and snagging first in the 2006 Burton New Zealand Open are no average feats. The Minnesota-native scored again at the World Superpipe Championships last weekend and Outside caught up with him to ask a few questions.

Like why mixed in with all those sponsorships that fit a snowboarder (Burton, Smith Optics, DVS, SoBe, and Mammoth Mountain), is a deal with Los Angeles-based, surf shop Val Surf? And what's with that FRENDS sticker on his helmet?
--Alicia Carr

World Superpipe Championships

Park City Mountain Resort in Utah played host to one of the most authoritative contests in skiing and snowboarding last weekend, the invitation-only World Superpipe Championships. A handful of snow-play celebs, including Shaun White, Kelly Clark, Simon Dumont, and Mason Aguirre, hit the 22-foot pipe during the one day, crowd-pleasing event. In the end, three athletes walked home with the $15,000 top prize: Shaun White in Men's Snowboard, Roxy's Torah Bright in Women's Snowboard, and New Zealand's Jossi Wells in Men's Ski.

View the big tricks in Outside's on-scene video below. Plus, check back for one-on-one interviews with the snow-world's most talented athletes. --Alicia Carr

Bike, Run, Ski, Snowshoe, and Repeat

The 25th Annual Mount Taylor Quadrathlon begins Saturday morning at 9:00 in Grants, New Mexico, and less than four hours later the winner will have cycled, ran, cross-country skied, and snowshoed as high as 11,301 feet in elevation. The four sport race draws between 400 to 600 competitors annually to a 45-mile-long course that begins with a 13-mile road race from the streets of Grants up 1,800 feet approaching the mountain. Then comes a five-mile run over gravel roads rising 1,200 feet, before the athletes strap on cross-country skis for another 1,200-foot climb that's spread across three miles and ends with a steep rise known as Heart Break Hill. To summit, competitors then trade skis for snowshoes and traverse 600 feet up in the final mile to the top. From there, the views can stretch for more than one hundred miles. But don't expect too many quad athletes to bring their cameras, once they reach the summit they're only half way done with the race. Think it sounds like a good time? Before showing up ready to race in the morning, check out Outside's Lab Rat Nick Heil's report on what he went through in preparation for an unfortunately deterred 2007 quad attempt first (The Payoff, June 2007). Then make your plans for 2009.
--Jason Kerkmans

5Point Fest to Debut

Later this year (May 8 - 10), the city of Carbondale, Colorado will have its turn as film-fest host site for the very first time. But instead of spotting Hollywood hopefuls clamoring to get behind any red velvet rope in sight, during the 5 Point Film Festival residents and visitors of the small town northwest of Aspen can expect a number of world-class adventurers taking part in unscripted conversations and filmmakers showcasing their work on three separate screens. They can also expect to see Patagonia's Yvon Chouinard, blind mountaineer Erik Weihenmayer, rock climber Tommy Caldwell, kayaker Rush Sturges, and surfer Gerry Lopez, among others, in town for what event founder Julie Kennedy says will be, “a forum where filmmakers, innovators and members of the community at large can gather together, share their films and ideas, build relationships and come away transformed." The complete festival program along with the films being featured will be available online in March at www.5pointfilm.org.
--Jason Kerkmans

X Games: Shaun White, SuperPipe Hero

Shaun White's gold-winning SuperPipe performance last night left most of the crowds' jaws halfway to the snow. After placing second in the elimination round behind Japanese phenom Ryo Aono, no one was sure if the Flying Tomato would be dethroned.

In the end, White stomped his landings, grabbed his 1080s, and even threw a new trick in the mix: a frontside 1260 at the bottom of the pipe gaining him the shiny gold. Aono placed second with Kevin "Ironman" Pearce in third. Pearce earned the triathlon nickname because of his solid participation in three events: SuperPipe, Slopestyle, and Big Air.

"It feels medieval," White said in a press release last night of winning. The poster boy for snowboarding recently signed a ten-year partnership deal with Burton Snowboards, the longest agreement in the sport of snowboarding. Looks like we'll be seeing Mr. White for quite some time. --Alicia Carr

Photo Credit: Eric Lars Bakke/Shazamm/ESPN Images

X Games: First-Time Gamer Wins Snowboard Big Air

Twenty-year-old Torstein Horgmo, from Norway, took the gold last night in the Snowboard Big Air contest. A first-time X Gamer, Horgmo pulled a switch backside rodeo 900 to clinch the gold medal--a trick he'd only been thinking about doing but had never actually attempted. His last-minute decision to go for it came when he didn't have enough speed to go through with his original plan: a switch backside 12.

This is a major comeback season for Horgmo after a serious back injury kept him from snowboarding. "I did not expect this to happen at all," Horgmo said in a press conference last night, "I hurt my back and I was out for three months. I couldn't be happier with where I am right now. Feels like gold." --Alicia Carr

Photo Courtesy of Ian Troxell

X Games: Catching Up With A Victorious Gretchen Bleiler

Some might say this is the year of Gretchen Bleiler: She scored her third X Games gold in Women's Snowboard SuperPipe on Friday night in her hometown of Aspen, Oakley gave her a signature clothing line (the first for any of their athletes) which she rocked down the SuperPipe, and she's currently gracing the cover of a major, national magazine during a period of extreme progression in female riding.

Her win came narrowly. She had to omit one trick due to excessive speed.  But back-to-back 720s and a crippler 540 gave her just enough to knock out silver-medalist, Aussie ripper Torah Bright and bronze-medalist Kelly Clark, who attempted an unprecedented-in-competition 1080.

Outside caught up with Oakley-team rider and super babe Gretchen Bleiler at Aspen's The Little Nell for Eggs Benedict, a show-and-tell of her new line, and a look at what she's up to this year.

Outside: How long have you been practicing your winning run?
Gretchen: This was the first time I've done this run. I've been working really hard the last year on the alley-oop, but the cab 720 I just learned last week. I was in Breckenridge hiking my butt off trying to get this trick down. My coach was up there filming me which is the best tool. What you feel you're doing and what you're actually doing are two totally different things so after a few days of watching video and doing the trick over and over, I finally got it. It's not perfect yet.

Outside: Kelly Clark's 1080 attempt was a complete shock to everyone. Did she turn up the pressure?
Gretchen: I was inspired for my second run. I haven't seen Kelly do a 900 since the Olympics so I was really happy for her that she stepped it up. I knew she had it in her.

Outside: With our Best Jobs issue on the horizon, shed some light on your path to success.
Gretchen: I started competing when I was 16 so during my senior year in high school, I decided to defer for one year from college. All of my friends went off to school while I worked at the local bakery. Their moms would come in and tell me news about them and it made me question, "What am I doing? I'm a ski bum." But I had a great year and was invited onto the U.S. Snowboard Team. Not going to college was a big risk, but it gave me success and happiness in the end.

Outside: So, what's on the agenda for this year?
Gretchen: Next year, I have to start re-qualifying for the Olympic team so this year I'm going to play a little more and compete a little less. Mainly I'll be in the backcountry on heli-trips in Japan, Russia, and Canada. And, of course, the launch of my new clothing line in September. I have to tell you, some random guy proposed to me on the mountain and I was sure it was because of my outfit. --Alicia Carr

Credit: © Eric Lars Bakke/Shazamm/ESPN I

Peter Will Go

Pro Surfer Peter Mel can be ready at a moments notice to cut into a wave that’s taller than a six-story building. Right now, he's waiting in California for the swells on the North Shore to rise so the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau can be held. When the Waimea Bay waves do rise, he’ll have less than a day to get to Hawaii before competing against 23 of the world’s best surfers. Quiksilver holds the contest - sometime between December 1 and February 29 - only if the swells outside the bay measure a minimum 20 feet for a full day. Outside caught up with Mel as he kept an eye on the weather and waves.

--Jason Kerkmans

Outside: How do you prepare for an event that may take place thousands of miles away with only a few hours notice?
Mel: It can be difficult. Especially since I come from the mainland. It’s the surfer’s responsibility to know when it might happen, so you become an amateur meteorologist, looking at maps and forecasts. The anticipation is hard but you have to roll with the punches and be prepared to get over there whenever it looks possible. A big problem we have right now is that the NOAA [ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] buoy is out of commission and so we’re basically out of factual information. We have to rely more on estimates. But even if the event wasn’t going to happen I’m always paying attention to the reports. I chase swells, it’s my job and I’m passionate about it.

Outside: How do you train for an event that might not occur?
Mel: Right before last time the Big Wave Invitational almost happened [January 13, 2008] it ended up that I was driving to another surfing event in Oregon and got a call that there was a big swell in Half Moon Bay, California. So I turn around and go there. That night I get another call that the Quiksilver could be happening. So, the next morning I landed in Hawaii and had to be ready for the event. [It didn’t happen because of the lack of wave quality that day.] I’m becoming a travel agent of sorts also. I know that the latest flight I can catch from the West Coast and still make it to Hawaii in time for my heat is a 2 a.m. departure out of Las Vegas that lands at 6:30 a.m. on the island.

Outside: What does the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational mean to you?
Mel: It’s the biggest surfing event in my career. I went to Hawaii for my first North Shore experience when I was 14. I met Richard Schmidt, who became my mentor and who was an invitee for the Big Wave event. I remember the images from 1990 when he finished second and they stick with me to this day. I’ve been going every year since then, and I’m 38 now. I’ve been a member for 13 or 14 years and in that time the event has been held five times. Richard and I only competed together twice in the Big Wave before he was the one who passed the torch to me. He went to Quiksilver and said he wouldn’t be able to do it anymore and that sort of opened the door for me. And even though I never got to formally meet Eddie Aikau we all idolized him as kids and being invited was and is a great honor. Eddie is the father of Hawaii’s big wave surfing.

Readers eager to scout the same swells Mel watches, can get Web updates from Quiksilver.

X Games: Skier Tanner Hall Scores Seventh Gold

Montana's twenty-four year-old Tanner Hall took home the gold medal in the Skiing Men's SuperPipe Final last night, fending off second-place winner Simon Dumont. The victory meant an overall record seventh X Games gold for Hall.

My drive this year was to train for this one event," Hall said in a press release. "At this point, this is one of my last big goals at X Games."

Hall's run was nothing short of ornate: a right side 900, left side 1260, and a backside 1080. Dumont fell short by two hits out of the pipe (Hall knacked seven). The pair also went head-to-head last year, with Hall winning.

Outside spotted the victorious shaggy blonde skier looking bright-eyed early this morning at a low-key breakfast place in Aspen. We're guessing the celebration party was a bit less exciting than the win. --Alicia Carr

Credit: © Eric Lars Bakke/Shazamm/ESPN Images

26.2 Miles on the Big Screen Tonight

The first ever non-fiction feature film based on all 26-plus miles of marathon strength, struggle and triumph debuts tonight at 7:30 p.m. (local time) on more than 500 theater screens across the country (from Brunswick, Maine to Victorville, California). The documentary, Spirit of the Marathon, follows six competitors - including world-class runners Daniel Njenga and Deena Kastor  as well as a first time marathoner and a father/daughter duo - as they prepare for and race in the Chicago Marathon. Filmed on four continents and more than four years in the making, Spirit of the Marathon has already captured the 2007 Best Picture Award at the Mammoth Film Festival and the 2007 Audience Choice Award at the Chicago International Film Festival. But tonight's premiere and an encore showing on February 21st will be the film's only two theatrical releases. Also featured in the movie are a number of famous athletes including Alberto Salazar who's interview with Outside can be found on newsstands in the February issue along with a complete Master Plan to help you get on your feet and running your best. Not ready for the full marathon? Read Outside's 12-week half-marathon training plan from Terrrence Mahon (coach of American half-marathon record holder Ryan Hall) and set your sights on one of 30 upcoming races this spring.

Spirit of the Marathon trailer

--Jason Kerkmans

Water-Filtering Bicycle

Check out the winning bike from Innovate or Die Pedal-Powered Machine Contest, an event cosponsored by Specialized Bicycles and Google. The contest, which the two San Francisco Bay Area companies announced three months ago, sought “machines that transform pedaling energy into new and useful purposes,” with an eye toward the environment. The winning entry, from a five-person team in Menlo Park, California, is a three-wheeled bike intended for people who lack access to clean drinking water. Built around a large tank, the Aquaduct Mobile Filtration Vehicle uses pedal power to run the water through a series of filters. If a rider reaches home before all of the water has been cleaned, he or she can disengage the wheels and continue pedaling—and, thus, filtering—while stationary.
—John Bradley

Q & A: Photographer Jordan Manley Crowned "King of Storms"

Storms boiled over Whistler Blackcomb January 2nd thru 4th as photographers scrambled the side-by-side mountains to catch this legendary ski resort deep in mid-winter powder for Arc'Teryx's Deep Winter Experience photo challenge. The photographers called in their athletes, did a snow dance or two, and hit the mountain from early dawn to sundown with only three days to snap enough for a three-to-five minute slide show that would earn one lucky name $2,000.

Twenty-three year-old Jordan Manley (pictured), a self-proclaimed "junior" photographer in comparison to the Deep Winter Experience's founding institution, Paul Morrison, took home the check on January 5th. His riveting series of shots included sepia-tone landscapes complemented by brightly-clothed athletes, Jonny Law (pictured below) and Jordan's brother, Les Manley, in action shots. Outside caught up with the young photographer (he's scored a couple magazine covers this year), now a little richer. --Alicia Carr

Outside: What makes this contest a challenge?

Manley: It was snowing heavily. My hands got really cold because my gloves were on and off all day. Being physically tired and cold, you have to tell yourself to keep going.

Outside: What drove your slide show?

Manley: I wanted to get a broad range of images to tell the story of what Whistler looks like during a storm. I wanted to do something different.

Outside: You're in school for political science. Why stress out for three days over a photography hobby?

Manley: Photography is my career goal, but I want to be educated. I go to school in the fall and shoot skiing and mountain biking during winter and summer.

Outside: So, how does the crown fit, Mr. King 'O Storms?

Manley: It was a pretty big honor to be with all those great photographers--especially Paul Morrison who is a big inspiration to me.

Manley's tools: Nikon D200, Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 and a multitude of other lenses, and the Elinchrom Ranger flash kit.

Photos courtesy of Jordan Manley.

 

Ironman 70.3 Delivers

The 2007 Ironmman World Championship 70.3 delivered on the excitement. And more stories than we expected have come out of this past weekend's race in Clearwater, Fla. Mirinda Carfrae, of Boulder, Colo., swam, peddled and ran as if her name was carefree. In doing so, she set a new world best time of 4:07:25            78. On the men's side Andy Potts sprinted ahead of Oscar Galindez at the finish line to win. And as was to be expected, but nonetheless specatacular, 67-year-old Dick Hoyt crossed the line with his son Rick. There was also Sister Madonna Buder crossing the line as the oldest woman to complete the race. And not to be outdone by any youngsters, Robert McKeague finished at 82 years young.
--Jason Kerkmans

The North American Ecotourism Conference

The North American Ecotourism Conference was held in Madison, Wisconsin, from September 26 to 28.  My first trip to the picturesque town of Madison was enhanced by the talks of pushing the largest industry in the world—travel and tourism—towards eco-friendliness.  The conference was held down the street from the State Capitol, in the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, overlooking Lake Monona. 

What is ecotourism? 
On Day 1, I attended a pre-conference session led by Costas Christ, contributor to National Geographic Adventure magazine and Chair of Tourism for Tomorrow.  He spoke about tourism’s identity as a powerful engine for growth and development and how that power may be used for bettering the environment instead of damaging it.  A high number of travelers are interested in visiting natural places like parks and there are ways in which to channel tourism to support these natural places that people are visiting. 

Ecotourism bridges the conservation of landscape, species, and resources and the development of communities that are being visited to ensure that the people in these destinations are receiving education, clean drinking water, food, and have proper sanitation and access to medication.  The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) describes ecotourism as “a form of tourism that entails responsible travel to natural areas and which conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people.”

Here are some stats on the negative impacts of tourism, as stated by the International Ecotourism Society:
• 109 countries have coral reefs, and in 90 of them reefs are being damaged by cruise ship anchors and sewage, tourists breaking off pieces of coral, and commercial harvesting.
• Cruise ships in the Caribbean are estimated to produce more than 70,000 tons of waste each year.
• The average 18-hole golf course uses at least 525,000 gallons of water a day—enough to supply the irrigation needs of 100 Malaysian farmers.

Green Confusion! 
What is it to be green?  How can we tell if a lodge or resort is as green as they claim to be?  At the session titled “Eco-Labels and Certification” Abigail Rome, John Imes, and J. Michael Robbins approached this issue. 

Eco-travel increased by ten percent over the past year; however, there aren't enough regulations associated with eco-certifications, so it's possible that lodges can call themselves an "eco-lodge" but not necessarily do all that much to help the environment around them.  There’s a lot of green hype, without the guidelines to back up the talk. Travel service providers need to be clear, candid, and sincere with travelers about their goals and their levels of effort with social and environmental issues. If travelers begin standing up for the environment, then tourism providers will be forced to make steps towards being more environmentally sensitive. Consumers have a lot of power over the travel world—they hold the cards with each and every travel decision they make.

There are quite a few properties that are really trying to make a difference environmentally.  Fairmont Hotels and Resorts have the Green Partnership program, and Kimpton has the EarthCare program, both of which keep up on the best sustainable practices in the hotel industry, promoting environmentally-friendly practices throughout their locations.  The challenges hotels face when trying to make these changes include the cost of certification, the difficulty in changing a particular hotel’s corporate image, and the time and money it takes to train staff members for eco-friendly practices. 

Cultural Tourism and Voluntourism
On the third day of the conference, I attended a session on cultural tourism and voluntourism—both becoming extremely popular travel choices.  Cultural tourism, which ensures the protection of the environment, heritage, and culture of a destination, is a huge part of ecotourism.  Voluntourism allows both visitors and locals to share thoughts, resources, and labor, and in return both parties gain an awakening of sorts.

We travel with the intention to visit another community, to see, feel, and experience life in another destination, which in turn allows us to more fully appreciate our own homes.  Cultural tourism preserves and protects the culture of a travel destination while allowing tourists to enter the community and share the lives and traditions of the people living there.  Voluntourism allows travelers to become involved with the issues that affect the place they are visiting, and offers these travelers a way that they can help the community. 

Examples of voluntourism include Turtle Island, a resort in Fiji that invited ophthalmologists to visit and during their visit they would perform cataract surgery on locals, as many of the locals had serious cataracts that impaired their vision.  Intrepid Travel would take visitors to an orphanage in Cambodia where visitors could spend a little time with one or more of the children.  An organization in San Diego takes volunteers to a village in Mexico, where they stay for five days and build beehives for a women’s beekeeping coop.  These experiences not only help the people living in the travel destination, but they open travelers’ eyes and change their lives as well.

Some websites on voluntourism and cultural tourism:

www.travelersphilanthropy.org
www.voluntourism.org
www.responsibletravel.com

-Erika Lloyd

World Championships of Climbing

The International Federation of Sport Climbing World Championships concluded last week in Aviles, Spain, without an American name in the winning line-up, nor a French name--one of the world's most dominant in climbing.

Russia dominated with three gold medals and seven podium finishes. They're also the homecountry of the new World Champion, 21-year-old Dmitry Sharafutdinov. Ranking 23rd in the World Cup last year, Sharafutdinov rocked the competition this year with a bouldering win, and 47th and 10th place finished in lead climbing and speed, respectively.

American Emily Harrington finished 14th in lead climbing after taking home the silver medal for the same event in 2005. --Alicia Carr

ACL Fest Day 3: Stick a Fork In It...It's Done.

Day three of the Austin City Limits festival began a little rough around the edges. We sought out the solution in a greasy plate of enchiladas at one of my favorite local restaurants, Las Manitas (View this photo). With a full belly, we headed to the festival and had a small detour to cool down at Barton Springs Pool. A natural spring directly across from the main gate and a hot spot with Austinites. Unfortunately, it was closed due to heavy rains but that didn't stop festival goers from taking advantage of the runoff View this photo.

Refreshed and cooled off we were able to hear Lucinda Williams play just as we walked in. Soon followed by good performances from Regina Spektor, Wilco and The Decemberists. As the sun began to fade on the final day the hero performance emerged with Ghostland Observatory. A fusion between glam rock, punk and electronica that put on an incredible show and also brought great fans (turn head sideways and click here). The festival came to a close with Bob Dylan & His Band which unfortunately was effected by bad sound and the largest crowd of the weekend.

That officially wraps the Austin City Limits festival. All and all a great weekend broken up with very little sleep and a few headaches, but so goes rock and roll. Until next time...View this photo

-Kate Iltis

ACL Fest Day 2: Hot and Hungover

Day two of the Austin City Limits festival started with the hair of the dog at the Mean Eyed Cat Bar (View this photo),a local favorite just a 10 minute walk from the festival. A bar dedicated to the late great Johnny Cash, and the perfect place to gear up for another day.

On to the festival we faced some pretty intense heat but it didn't slow the crowds or stop the party. Trent Summar and the New Row Mob kicked it off and brought people out of the shade and onto their feet (including his drummer, Dave Kennedy View this photo) for an awesome show and a highlight of the day.

The festival continued with some good shows by Steve Earle, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah and a rocking Arcade Fire. Stay tuned for the Day 3 recap which includes a great swimming hole, Wilco, The Decemberists and Ghostland Observatory.

Until then, another shout out from a good looking fan View this photo, okay maybe two View this photo.

-Kate Iltis

ACL FEST DAY 1: Booze, Tattoos and Flying Poo?

Day one of the Austin City Limits festival did not disappoint.  We got the day started with a Spin magazine pre-party at Hotel San Jose where Belvedere Vodka flowed along with free tattoos. A dangerous combination which was illustrated by a poor drunk guy getting "Live It" tattooed on his chest. View this photo. Realizing it was going to be all down hill from there we headed to the festival.

A hot day in central Texas brought an estimated 65,000 people to ZIlker Park(with an impressive number on bikes View this photo ). The festival kicked off with some early drama of an exploding propane tank that led to two port-a-potties going up in flames. Only in Texas can you see something so amazing.The festival quickly recovered and the lineup rocked with Louis XIV , Killers, and Bjork  highlighting the top shelf.  

This thing is just getting started and today will bring the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Arcade Fire and one of my personal favorites the farm rock of Trent Summar & The New Row Mob. Whose punk rendition of George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today" will be sure to take it up a notch.

Stay tuned for more but until then I think this picture says more than I ever could.View this photo

-Kate Iltis

I AM NOT A WRITER: Pre-game for the 2007 Austin City Limits festival

In the spirit of bad judgment and half-baked* ideas, Outside is sending me, an art director, to cover the sixth annual Austin City Limits music festival. Why me? I grew up near Austin and rarely miss ACL. Besides, it’ll be fun to show y’all where the locals get out of the heat, scrounge cheap festival beer, and hang out when the music stops. Come back to the O-blog later in the week to get my all-access account of the three-day bender that will showcase more than 130 bands on eight stages. The headliners include Bob Dylan & His Band, Björk, The Killers, Wilco, Arcade Fire, Muse, and My Morning Jacket.

*Note: All complaints related to poor grammar, spelling, moral judgment, and general accuracy should be sent to associate editor, Grayson Schaffer at 400 Market Street Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501.

Fair Game in New York City

Last Thursday New York City's Explorers Club served guests a menu of turtle bisque, Argentinean ostrich, pemmican pudding, South American prairie hare, and pheasant breast pâté.  The evening, hosted by Redwood Creek Wines of California, honored Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, with food inspired by meals the explorers’ consumed on the famous voyage. Redwood Creek chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon accompanied the exotic food, and the smooth taste of the wine went extraordinarily well with the unique flavors of the menu (plus, the wine helped to decrease any anxiety associated with eating turtle meat for the first time).

Gene Rurka, Exotic Foods Expert, organized and prepared the dishes for the event. He explained that Pemmican Pudding—dried buffalo meat, dried currants, honey, and bacon—was basically the first energy bar.  Diet played an extremely important part on expeditions like Shackleton’s, and most food was chosen based on accessibility, as the Antarctic doesn’t offer up the largest menu on the planet.  Pemmican has been used for cooking by a number of cultures, including Native Americans, because it didn’t turn rancid quickly, and one small piece could last an individual quite some time.  To the taste, it’s a salty little mass of meat, and although I can’t see myself reaching for the bag of pemmican pudding during a blockbuster movie night, I can imagine the draw during a serious hike.

After the reception, polar historian Dr. T.H. Baughman delivered a captivating account of Shackleton’s voyage, from stories of emperor penguins singing to the adventurers when their ship was trapped in the ice, to tales of Shackleton’s loyalty to his men, allowing them to bring their journals and a banjo along when they had to abandon their ship and travel by foot over the treacherous landscape of Antarctica.

The combined food, wine, and talk made for an unforgettable evening; however, as the astute young woman sitting next to me put it, nothing could beat the moment when the event attendees ate the decorative rabbit meal on display in the reception area. I guess a bit of the adventurer’s spirit was in the air and anything edible became fair game.

Get recipes from the food served at this dinner.

-Erika Hunter Lloyd

Trend Watch: Social Justice, the New Environmentalism

Jazz Aspen Snowmass may be offsetting the festival's carbon emissions with wind credits from Native Energy and pursuing biodiesel for all of the shows' generators, but this year, social justice emerged as a new theme. The evidence? Aspen's well-heeled, and not necessarily liberal, philanthropy set rocking out in the VIP section to reggae/funk fusion artist Michael Franti. Compared with Michael Franti, the Dixie Chicks look apathetic in their opposition to war, poverty, and bigotry.

In related trend watching news: The murse belt (man-purse belt) is one step beyond the leather PDA holster. In it a man might carry his phone, keys, and perhaps a bit of moisturizer to combat high-altitude chapping.

--Grayson Schaffer