It's A Two Team Race Now!

The lead teams are coming down the stretch, and are expected to cross the finish line sometime tonight. As I type this, Nike hold an hour and a half lead over GoLite/Timberland, who in turn have a couple of hours on Merrell who are fighting off a late surging Supplierpipeline. SOLE is running in fifth place at the moment.

The question now is, can anyone catch Nike? At this point of the race, I'd say no. Nike has a killer instinct when they can smell the finish line, so I don't expect GoLite to catch them. It'll be interesting to see if Merrell stll has one more kick in them to put some pressure on GoLite and stave off the Canadians. It should be an exciting finish as the three spots on the podium get filled out. Just wish I was there to see how it unfolds.

Still Can't Get Enough PQ News?

So the bulk of my posts this week have been on Primal Quest, and why not? It's been a great race so far, and there has been plenty of news and information available. But if you still haven't had enough PQ news, perhaps you'll find what you're looking for over at BackPacker.com, the official site of Back Packer Magazine. Checkout their Primal Quest: Live and Unedited page for race reports, podcasts, gear lists, and just about anything else you'd need to know about the race. Good stuff.

New Ultra- and Trail Running Blog

Mountain Zone has long been one of my favorite websites for new on the outdoor sports that interest me, including climbing, mountain biking, adventure racing, snowboarding, and more. But lately they've been adding a lot of blogs to their stable, and it's made them even better. Blogs are a sign of the times. They're popping up everywhere, and it seems everyone is writing one these days. Hell! Even I have a blog!! ;) Anyway, there is a new one over at Mountain Zone that caught my eye this afternoon. It's written by Krissy Moehl and promises to look into the world of ultramarathons and trail running, which happen to be two more of my favorite topics.

Krissy kicks of the new blog with a look at Primal Quest (What else?) and mentions some teams to keep an eye on. But she also lays out her schedule for the next few months as she heads out for a Summer of Adventure. Sure wish I could join her on a couple of those trips. Hopefully she'll be sharing some of the fun with us throughout the rest of the Summer.

Primal Quest Day 5

We've had a bit of a shake-up in the standings overnight. Nike has continued to hold the top spot they claimed yesterday, but GoLite is coming on strong and has moved firmly into second place, and is trying to close the gap with the leaders. Merrell has fallen into third, about six hours out off the pace. Meanwhile, Canadian team Supplierpipeline has moved into fourth place with a strong move yesterday, and they are followed by Team SOLE in fifth. Spyder, who had been racing very strongly, has currently fallen into 8th.

There are still plenty of miles to be raced, but Nike is extremely hard to catch once they are out in front. GoLite has a chance of catching them, but barring a dark zone, injury, or major navigation error, it's going to be tough. The race for the podium is turning out to be as exciting as any Primal Quest in the past, especially as teams jockey for third place. Can Merrell hold on for a podium finish? Will Supplierpipeline catch them in the final legs? I can't wait to watch it all unfold.

As a side note, I want to commend PQ CEO Rich Brazeau, course designer Don Mann, and the rest of the Primal Quest crew for putting together a heck of a race. In my opinion, it's been the best PQ so far, and I can't wait to watch it on television this fall. (When the offical deal is announced of course. ;) )

Race Analysis at CPZ

Check Point Zero has been a great source of Primal Quest news all week long, with blogs from several teams, reporting from the field, and some great images from the race. Now comes this article that looks at some of the transition times the top teams have been taking through the checkpoints. Clearly there are a few teams who have more rest than others at this point of the race. As I've mentioned in my posts, it seems like Nike has been banking more sleep time, and now with the race drawing to a close, it'll serve them well as they make the stretch run.

The article is written by Lisa de Speville, who has often done race reports for CPZ in the past, and has an excellent understand of the strategy that goes into the races. Lisa, if you're reading this, we miss your race reports!!

Update: Lisa has been kind enough to send along the split times she used to analyize the race for the above article. I think they are interesting to look at and clearly show Nike's built up rest time and how the other top teams are lacking in that area. Thanks Lisa for sharing this info with me. It's much appreciated!

Leg 1: Horseback Riding – about 29 miles

Team:	Total Leg	Total T1
Cyanosis	5:44	0:45
Duesouth	7:01	0:19
Merrell	4:38	0:05
Spyder	4:36	0:00
Nike Power	4:33	0:03

Leg 2: Desert Trekking – about 21 miles (CP5-CP8)

Team:	Total Leg	Total T2
Cyanosis	08:34	3:40
Duesouth	09:30	1:22
Merrell	07:22	1:00*
Spyder	07:02	1:13
Nike Power	06:00	0:41

Leg 3: Mountain Biking – about 65 miles (CP8 - CP10)

Team:	Total Leg	Total T3
Cyanosis	06:25	1:03
Duesouth	09:57	0:26
Merrell	05:59*	0:33
Spyder	05:59	0:33
Nike Power	05:59	0:23

Leg 4: Whitewater Swimming (incl trek to start) – about 8 miles (CP10 - CP12)

Team:	Total Leg	Total T4
Cyanosis	03:29	1:28
Duesouth	03:13	1:02
Merrell	04:50	0:27
Spyder	05:53	0:29
Nike Power	07:36	0:29

Leg 5: Kayaking – about 35 miles (CP12 to CP13)

Team:	Total Leg	Total T5
Cyanosis	05:52	0:38
Duesouth	05:54	0:40
Merrell	05:00	0:21
Spyder	04:58	0:23
Nike Power	05:16	0:08

Leg 6: Canyoneering – about 26 miles.., incl ropes (CP13 to CP19)

Team:	Total Leg	Total T6
Cyanosis	17:52	1:46
Duesouth	16:42	0:47
Merrell	13:49	0:20
Spyder	11:41	0:36
Nike Power	15:11	0:28

Leg 7: Kayaking – about 45 miles (CP19 to CP20)

Team:	Total Leg	Total T7
Cyanosis	8:25	0:58
Duesouth	8:07	0:47
Merrell	6:39	0:09
Spyder	8:49	0:47
Nike Power	6:57	0:30

Leg 8: Canyoneering – about 29 miles… incl ropes (CP20 - CP24)

Team:	Total Leg	Total T8
Cyanosis	21:12	05:47
Duesouth	20:32	01:36
Merrell	15:18	00:52
Spyder	19:00	00:52
Nike Power	14:32	03:55

Leg 9: Mountain Trekking, incl ropes – about 38 miles (CP24 - CP29)
Total Leg Total T9

Team:	Total Leg	Total T9
Cyanosis	not yet here
Duesouth	not yet here
Merrell	23:00	03:37
Spyder	23:13	01:12
Nike Power	19:36	05:10

TOTAL TRANSITION TIMES

Merrell	384 + 60*	07:24
Spyder	365	06:05
Nike Power	707	11:47

* CP8 out time for Merrell is missing.I've just given them 1hr, which is between Nike and Spyder

Primal Quest: Four Days In!

It's Day Four of Primal Quest, and a quick look at the leaderboard and you can see that Nike, as predicted, did make their move yesterday. Not only did they pass Merrell/Wigwam Adventure to claim first place, they also were able to bank up some more sleep time. My guess is that from here on out, they'll take fewer breaks for sleep, and barring getting caught in a dark zone, will race on to the finish.

Team Merrell shouldn't be counted out just yet though. Robyn's got the boys racing well, and at the moment, they're only about 10 minutes behind Nike. The problem is that Nike has rested more, and are likely to be stronger down the stretch run. GoLite/Timberland is currently in third several hours behind the leaders, with Team Spyder in fourth another hour back. SOLE rounds out the top 5, but as of now they haven't reached Checkpoint 29 yet, which is last place that the other lead teams have reached.

Still plenty of racing to go though, and with NIke and Merrell battling it out, one small mistake could make the difference. It should be an exciting race right down to the end.

Update: I barely had this posted when an update to the standing came in. Merrell and Nike passed through Checkpoint 30 in a dead heat, and Team Spyder has left Checkpoint 29 in third place, but still two-and-a-half hours behind the lead teams.

Mountain Zone PQ Blogs

The Gear Junkie over at MountainZone.com has posted Part III of his Primal Quest Gear Blogs. This time, it's all about the Water Sports.

And after you're done reading up on his gear, checkout the Primal Quest Blog with reports on all three days so far. It's another great place to learn about what's happening with the race while we wait for the next round of news to come in. Is it just me, or does it seem like we're getting lots of Primal Quest news this year? Seems like the new management team has done a good job drumming up support from the media and getting the word out about the event. Nice work PQ Gang!

PER Coverage at Sleep Monsters!

With Primal Quest in full swing, it's been tough to find much information on the Patagonia Expedition Race, even over at the official site. But never fear, our friends at Sleep Monsters have us covered. They have extensive coverage of the race on their site, following it from beginning to end. And for those who just want to know who won, it seems that Team Turismo Rockford Runner came from behind on the final day to take the win. Looks like it was a fun, and exciting race, despite the cold conditions. Congrats to the winners!

Primal Quest: Day 3 Standings

As I write this, it's Day 3 of the Primal Quest, and the top teams are still duking it out. At the moment, Merrell/Wigwam Adventure is in first place, with about a two hour lead over second place team, and three time defending champs Nike/PowerBlast. Next comes Team SOLE, followed by Spyder, and GoLite/Timberland rounding out the top five.

Merrell is racing well, and have maintained a nice lead over Nike, but Kloser, Adamson, and the rest of Team Nike have clearly gotten more rest. Look for them to make a move today and make up ground on Merrell and try to put some distance between the other teams dogging them.

More PQ Coverage at Yahoo!

Yahoo has continued to cover PQ since the race kicked off on Sunday. Their First Dispatch focuses mainly on the start of the race and the first 12 hours in, while Dispatch #2 discusses some of the issues teams have had with their horses, and combatting the heat. Finally, there is today's Dispatch again discusses the heat, but also some of the interplay between teams as they jockey for the lead. These are great reads to get you caught up to speed with what's going on at the race.

PQ: Latest Standings

Just a quick update on where the tops teams stand currently in the race, with just over two days in. As of now, Team Spyder leads the way through Checkpoint 19, with four other teams having passed that point. Following Spyder is Merrell/Wigwam Adventure in second place, Team SOLE in third, Nike-Beaver Creek, GoLite/Timberland, and Nike PowerBlast making up the top of the leaderboard.

Nike Powerblast is the odds on favorite to win the race, especially when you consider that of the three Primal Quests held so far they won two outright, and tied for first last time out. At the moment, they are several hours behind the leaders, but have also banked more sleep time than anyone else. This has been a consistent strategy over the years for Nike. In the longer races, they'll build a lead early on, and get some rest, while other teams struggle to catch-up. Then as fatigue begins to catch up with the others, they make their move. We'll have to wait to see if that strategy pays off for them again this year. We still have several more days to go before a winner is crowned.

Forbes Magazine on Primal Quest

Even Forbes Magazine is jumping on the Primal Quest bandwagon this week, offering up this story about the race, and how it can be a microcosm for studying how people think, work together, and lead one another. Interesting stuff, even if it looks at the race from more of a business perspective. It's something worth reading, as you wait for the leaderboard to update with the latest results.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About PQ

There's a great blog and information site set up over at Zimbio called The People's Guide To Primal Quest. There is loads of information on the race, including pictures and links to leaderboards and GPS tracking. It'll make a great "Race Central" over the next few days as the race unfolds.

Yahoo on PQ!

Yahoo Adventure Beat has posted a Pre-Primal Quest article that takes a look at the race. It's a short, but sweet, introduction to the race and it's history.

Primal Quest is On!

After a year hiatus, at long last, Primal Quest, the worlds toughtest adventure race, is off and running. As I write this, some 12 hours into the race, which isn't expected to be decided for five or six days, Team Nike PowerBlast leads the pack, with Merrell/Wigwam Adventure in hot pursuit. You can follow the action at Primal Quest Race Central, or you can simply Leardboard here. Even better, if you have a favorite team, or want to compare how two or more teams are doing against one another, you can use their very cool GPS Tracking page.

PQ Coverage at Summit Daily News

The Summit Daily News has several great articles up in anticipation of the start of Primal Quest tomorrow. They have blogs, team profiles, and more. It looks like a great source of pre-race information, and hopefully they'll have some good updates during the race as well. They figure that Nike is the team to beat again this year.

Primal Quest on ABC/ESPN in HD??

Yak, over at Check Point Zero is reporting in his Yak Blog that Primal Quest will air later this year on ABC or ESPN. This hasn't been confirmed yet, but he expects a press release any day. It seems the logos for both ABC and ESPNHD are clearly on the PQ promotional materials. The best part is that ESPNHD logo seems to indicate the event will be filmed in HD! Awesome news, as an event like Primal Quest shoud look great in HD, and as an HDTV owner and fan of adventure racing, I can't wait to see it.

Update: According to the Summit Daily News PQ will air on ESPN2 in October with four hour long episodes, with a fifth episode airing on ABC on a Sunday afternoon. Sounds like great coverage! Hopefully they'll confirm the HD part soon too.

K2: Part Deux!

As promsed, part 2 of the Conquest of K2 story has been posted today over at ExWeb. It's a fascinating conclusion to yesterday's background, with Lino Lacedelli essentially admiting that some of things that were considered "facts" about their first ascent, were actually lies that had been told for 50 years. Namely, they did not summit without oxygen, as they claimed, and they set off for the summit at a later time than they suggested as well, which lends credence to accusations that they left two of their teammates out in the long, cold, stormy night above 8100 meters without food or shelter. The story, and the book that will be released later this summer, give a glimpse into the huge ego, and sometimes cutthroat, world of high alpine climbing.

PER Updated At CPZ

Check Point Zero has the the first report on the Patagonia Expedition Race: Winter Edition. At the moment, Team GNC is in the lead after two stages. I'll try not to let PER coverage fall through the cracks, what with that other adventure race starting this weekend.

Top 7 Volcano Climbs!

Adventure Journey has updated their Top 7 column, this month naming the Top 7 Volcano Climbs. There are some excellent options here, spread out across the planet, so if you're looking to add a little adventure to your next trip, and would like to climb a volcano, give it a look.

On a side note, I really like Adventure Journey. The website is well designed, and there are always interesting things to see and read there. I do sense that they are going through some growing pains, as the site has been down a few times when I've tried to reach it, but the writing and content are top notch, and very interesting to read.

Raid Report: Better Late Than Never!

GreatOutDoors.com has published a report on the Idaho leg of the Raid that was run a few weeks back. I reported on it then, and as anyone who is a fan of the sport will know, Team Nike took the victory. Still, it's always good to get a race report for a different source, and as I said, better late than never.

The Price of Conquest: K2

Explorer's Web has posted the first part of a two part story that tells the real tale of what happened on K2 when the Italian team made the first successful attempt on the mountain. For 50 years there has been a controversy surrounding the first ascent, in which the two men who made it to the summit have been accused of leaving two of their support team to fend for themselves over night, in the bitter cold, at 8100 meters. This story sets down the background, but tomorrow we'll get the truth of what happened, as one of the men, Lino Lacedelli, breaks his silence after 52 years, to set the record straight. Lacedelli has written a book entitled Price of Conquest: Confessions from the First Ascent of K2 due out later this summer. It should be an incredible read to say the least, as K2 is often considered the crown jewel of climbing, even more so than Everest.

Winter PER: 8 Teams Ready to Go!

The Winter Edition of the Patagonia Expedition Race is set to kick off today, with eight teams of two vying for the win. Our friends over at Check Point Zero have a run down on the teams, and what to expect as things get underway. It'll be interesting to see what type of elements these teams will have to deal with considering the unpredictable weather in Patagonia this time of year. However, you don't see too many of the "big names" of adventure racing on the list, as the return of Primal Quest is just a four short days away. Still, this should be a fun and competitive race in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Kayaking the Yangtze River

I haven't posted many kayaking stories of late, even though I've spent most weekends over the past two months on the water myself. Canoe & Kayak Magazine has a great article from their current issue on Kayaking the Yangtze River. Along the way, they saw amazing canyons, glorious whitewater, and amazing beaches. They also saw the death of one of the greatest rivers in the world, as the Chinese government has damned up the Yangtze in an attempt to control it's flooding, and to generate electricity, but in the process they have changed the ecology of the sound area, flooded cities, and displaced millions of people. Still, this is an interesting story with some great pictures, and I'd love to take an epic kayak trip like this one.

Two From Mountain Zone

Good morning! I've got two very interesting stories from MountainZone.com to point your way today. First, comes this story about mountain biking in in Scotland. It's a short, but sweet, little article that discusses biking the "7 Stanes" (or Stones) in southern Scotland. The article tells you where to find each of them, and what to expect on your ride. Sounds like it would be a killer trip.

Next up, we have this weeks Gear Junkie blog in which he discusses the equipment he will be using on the mountain biking legs of the upcoming Primal Quest expedition adventure race. Lots of nice gear suggestions for anyone entering and race, of for general mountain bike use. I wouldn't mind having that $2300 Jamis bike at all! :)

Patagonia Expedition Race Winter Edition Preview

CPZ has posted a preview of the upcoming Patagonia Expedition Race, which is set to kick off in just two days. You may recall that the PER was run just a few months ago, but this "Winter Edition" will start on the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is currently winter. Teams could face some interesting weather conditions to say the least. With this, and Primal Quest, both kicking off this week, it should be a great time for fans of adventure racing. I'll post news on both races as it comes available. You can also learn more about the PER at the official website for the race.

GORP Summer Outdoor Guide

GORP has created a nice little section called The Outdoor Guide to Summer , which lists top destinations for summer get aways, favorite camp sites, a dream kit for backpackers, and a guide to avoiding poison ivy. The latter of which may come in very handy for me, as I seem to have a knack for finding the stuff, and a rather bad reaction to it when I do. Anyway, if you're looking for some ideas on what to do and where to go this summer, it's a good place to start.

Tour de France - Top Contenders for '06

We all know that Lance is out of the picture, but the Tour de France will go on without him, despite what many Americans would like to believe. So in preparation, Stellar Magazine has posted an article on the top contenders for this year's race. Right at the top are Ivan Basso, who finished second last year, and long time Armstrong rival Jan Ulrich. There are others who will challenge as well though, and the top names all get their due. It's a nice primer for the upcoming race, which will be the most hotly contested in at least five years.

Images from Annapurna

While browsing around MountEverest.net earlier, I came across this photo gallery and story on climbing Annapurna, the tenth tallest peak in the world. The images are striking, and the article is interesting as well, as it discusses the dangers of climbing Annapurna say, versus Everest. Like Everest, Annapurna is located in the Himalayas, in north central Nepal, and was first climbed in 1950. It was the first 8000 meter peak to be successfully summited.

The majority of the general public think that Everest, being the tallest mountain on Earth, is the hardest to climb, but the climbing community would beg to differ, with peaks like Annapurna or K2, offering far more dangerous and technical climbs.

Primal Quest Gear!

Primal Quest is just over 10 days away now, and coverage is starting to ramp up nicely. Over the next week or so, we should see a number of pre-race articles about the return of this epic race. Regular readers will know that I personally can't wait for it to start. Which leads us to our first article of the day over at MountainZone.com in their always fun and interesting Gear Junkie blog. It seems that the Gear Junkie himself, Stephen Regenold, will be racing in Primal Quest, and he has made the first of three blogs regarding the event. In this post he discusses the gear he'll be using throughout the race especially in the trekking stages. Stephen discusses his shoes, packs, clothing, watches, eyewear, and more. Next week, he'll let us know what equipment he'll be using on the mountain bike stages.

On a side note, I'm a bit of a "gear junkie" myself, and I've always enjoyed reading Stephen's columns to keep up on the new, must-have gear. He always shows off some great equipment and gadgets, but every time I surf over to his page, I think I hear my wallet cry a little.

Gobi Ramblings from Terri!

As promised, Terri Schneider has updated her blog over at MountainZone.com with more thoughts on the recently completed Gobi March. This recent post is a nice wrap-up of the event, and how it effected Terri, both as a racer, and a person. Very insightful. And when you're done reading the blog, you can check out her photos from the race!

I have to say, I greatly enjoyed Terri's blog during the race. I've followed the Gobi March for several years, first discovering it through television coverage on the National Geographic Channel, but this put a more personal spin on the event, and let us get inside the head of one of the racers. Hopefully Terri will be taking part in some of the other Racing The Planet events. After all, we're only 40 days away from the Atacama Crossing!

Team GoLite/Timberland Win in Durango!

While much of the adventure racing community's attention was focused on Stage 2 of The Raid over the weekend, another race was taking place in the San Juan Mountains, near Durango, CO. The sixth annual Durango Adventure Xstream Adventure Race was won by Team GoLite/Timberland in 15 hours, 32 minutes. The race has become one of the premiere 24 hour adventure races in the country and offers a mix of trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, and navigation challenges. You can read more about the event here.

More Climbers Weigh In On David Sharpe

This seems to be the story that won't go away. You'll recall that climber David Sharpe died on Everest about a month ago. It seems Sharpe made the summit but became disoriented from a lack of oxygen on the descent. This happens regularly on Everest, but in this case no one stopped to help him out, although one team did stop to give him some oxygen. The situation heated up more when Sir Edmund Hillary blasted the climbers on Everest for not helping, and saying that they have put the summit ahead of common sense and morality. Well, now more famous climbers are weighing in on the topic, including Ed Viesturs, probably the best American climber ever. Viesturs says that at the least, someone could have sat with Sharpe and "try to provide a little comfort." You can read more of Viesturs thoughts, as well as some other climbers, and some interesting contraditions to the story from the team leader over at MountEverest.net

Raid Results!

According to TheRaid.Org Team Nike has claimed victory at the Raid Stage 2 race that took place over the weekend in Idaho, with reigning world champs LES ARCS-QUECHUA of France, and Team Nike/Beaver Creek coming in second and third respectively. From all accounts, it sounds like it was a spirited race, and hopefully we'll see a rematch in Canada later this fall. You can read more about the event here, and I'll post more detailed information as it becomes available.

The Raid: Stage Two

The second stage of The Raid World Cup has come to Idaho, and the race is well underway already. At this moment, the two Nike Teams are out in front, with Team Nike in first place, and Team Nike/Beaver Creek in second. There is still plenty of racing to go, and the winner qualifies for the World Championship coming up in October. You can get Raid updates over at Check Point Zero or The Raid.org

Left for Dead on Everest

If you've read my blog recently, or follow high alpine climbing at all, you've no doubt hear about the recent controversy in the climbing community regarding leaving someone behind on Everest. Stellar Magazine has weighed in on the topic with an article entitled Left For Dead On Everest, which does a great job of getting to the heart of the topic.

Basically, the debate stems from the fact that British climber David Sharpe died on Everest, despite the fact that a number of people saw him struggling and did nothing to help. A few days later, Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to summit Everest commented that in his day, they would never have left someone behind on the mountain, and basically he blasted the climbing community for putting the summit ahead of helping others. From there, the debate has blossomed, with strong opinions on both sides.

I've made my thoughts on the topic known here already, and I still feel the same. When climbing above 8000 meters, it is difficulty enough to get yourself down off the mountain in one piece, and when you attempt to help someone else, you put your own life, and that of your entire team, into jeopardy. It may seem heartless, but it's the way it has to be most of the time. However, I do agree that putting the summit ahead of someone else's safety is a bad idea, and is making things worse on the worlds highest peaks.

More on The Gobi March

Terri Schneider has once again updated her blog on the Gobi March, this time with results, and thoughts on the race. The Gobi March finished up last weekend, but Terri hadn't updated her blog in the past few days, so I was watching it with interest. It seems that it was a long, grueling race, but very rewarding as well. She promises to post a wrap-up when she's home safe and sound, so I'll post on it when she does. Oh, and congratulations are in order for Terry, who was the second woman to cross the finish line at the Gobi, despite losing time due to illness.

Explore Bhutan!

Outside Magazine has an excellent travel article up about one of the countries I'd most like to visit, Bhutan. The tiny country lies in the Himalayas just to the East of Nepal, and is known for it's rugged mountainous terrain, soaring peaks, and stunning scenery. It's just an adventure getting there, as Bhutan is definitely off the beaten path, and lacking in many modern conveniences. This article is long and detailed, and offers a wonderful glimpse into a culture and place that few people outside the country itself even knows exists.

Damn Blogger.com!

I'm not sure what's been happening over the past few days, but blogger.com has been inaccessible at times when I've wanted to update. I've come across several interesting and fun articles, then rush over here to post about them, only to get a message that the system is down for "Unexpected Maintenance." Oh well! Seems to be working now, so I'd better get a few things posted while I can! ;)

Insider's Guide To The Great Parks

With Summer here, and everyone wanting to get outside, go hiking or camping, and take advantage of the long days, it's a perfect opportunity to go explore some National Parks. National Geographic Adventure wants to help out, with this series of articles to help you explore the Great Parks of North America, including Yosemite, The Grand Canyon, and even the Everglades. If you're planning to hit one of these parks, or are looking for some Summer adventure, it's a great place to get ideas and plan for your next trip.

Adventure Racing Injuries

CheckPointZero.com, the news and information site for all things related to Adventure Racing, has a great interview posted with Dr. Bill Webster and David Townes, the men responsible for AdventureMed and handling all the medical duties for the upcoming Primal Quest. They discuss the most prevalent injuries in adventure racing, what to watch out for when in a race, and some of the more odd injuries they have encountered. Hint: Braided hair in unusual places. :)

Primal Quest: Rich Brazeau Interview

National Geographic Adventure has kicked off the countdown to Primal Quest with an interview with Rich Brazeau, the CEO of that Race. Rich gives his thoughts on adventure racing in general, where the sport is heading, and what Primal Quest means for AR. It's a very insightful, and interesting interview, and it should get you counting down the days to Primal Quest as well.

And while you've got PQ on the brain, head over to Runner's World and read this article about Team Spyder's preperation for Primal Quest. The team excels at distance running, and they hope that will give them the edge over the field at PQ. I wish them luck, but personally, I feel that a lot of the longer distance races are won and lost on the water, as few teams are as good in the kayak as they should be.

Edit: It's Primal Quest Day on the Internet it seems, as another article has popped up online, this time at Outdoornewswire.com. This article is more of an overview of the participants in this years race, serving as a bit of an introduction to some of the athletes.

After reading all these stories today, I just want Primal Quest to get here already! After skipping 2005, I'm more than ready for PQ to get underway. It's a race that has few peers, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the new PQ leadership has in store for the racers this season.

Teva Mountain Games Results

The Teva Mountain Games finished up over the weekend with plenty of activities for any outdoor enthusiast. Among the events in the Mountain Games are kayaking, biking, trail running, climbing, and of course adventure racing. You'll find a very good run down of the events and results on the sports page of the Vail Daily. And you can read an account of Team Nike's victory on their home turf as well. You can find more general information at TevaMountainGames.com.

Speed Record on Everest!

Climber Christian Stangl has set a new record for summiting Everest, reaching the peak in just 16 hours, 42 minutes, and then another 6 hours returning to Advanced Base Camp. Stangl did this without the use of supplemental oxygen as well, making it all the more impressive. MountEverest.net has an interview posted in which Stangl discusses the climb, passing a struggling climber who may have been Lincoln Hall, and where he got the idea to do a speed climb.

Congrats to Christian! What an impressive accomplishment.

Gobi March: It's Over!

The Gobi March 2006 is officially over, and this years winner is South Korean Ahn Byeung Sik, who pretty much lead the entire way. You can find all the updates and news from the race over at the Racing The Planet webiste. For a more personal insight into the race, I'd recommend, as I did all last week, that you read Terri Schneider's Blog over at MountainZone.com. Terri hasn't updated it since last week, so I'm hoping she'll post at least one more time on her thoughts on the race and how things finished up. I don't see Terri's name on the final standings list, so let's hope she's safe and sound and feeling better.

The Raid comes to Idaho!

Tomorrow, June 6, marks the beginning of another Raid World Cup qualifying event. A lot of the top American teams will be vying with teams from around the world to in an attempt to qualify for the The Raid Championship, be held in Canada this year. I'll post news and updates about the event as it takes place throughout the week, but for now you can find updates, profiles, and information at TheRaid.org

Gobi March: Terri's on the mend!

Terri Schneider has once again updated her blog from the Gobi March and it sounds like she's over some of the sickness she encountered yesterday, and racing better today. Today's leg is 50km in length, and was warmer than other recent legs. It also sounds like the course is extremely challenging and scenic. I'd love to do an event like this, but with my continuing issues with shin splints, I can barely run three or four miles, let alone thirty at the moment.

I've enjoyed reading the updates from RacingthePlanet.com this week, but I've actually found Terri's blog to be much more personal and interesting. I can't wait to see how she finishes up. At the moment, South Korean Byeung Sik Ahn remains in the lead.

Video of Sharpe Alive on Everest

MountEverest.net (who else?) also has word today about a video of David Sharpe, still alive on Everest. It seems some climbers on the North side of Everest claim that a video exists of David Sharpe, the British climber who died on Everest, speaking with some Sherpa's who were wearing helmet cameras while filiming an upcoming special for the Discovery Channel. Worse yet, the story goes on to say that the guides with Sharpe failed to issue any kind of alert that he was missing, overdue or, in distress on the mountain. You'll recall, that the whole incident drew the ire of Sir Edmund Hillary, who thought it unthinkable that anyone would be left to die on the mountain.

New BASE Jumping Record set in Himalayas

MountEverest.net has word that a new BASE jumping record was set by Australian couple Glenn and Heather Singleman, who climbed the east face of Meru, in India, and did their jump at 6604 meters. The story goes into detail on how the couple spent 20 days laying down lines so they could climb the mountain before even attempting their big jump. I'll bet that was quite a rush!

Terri Schneider Blog Update

Terry Schneider has updated her blog from the Gobi March again today, and it sounds like she's having the best time and worst time of her life. The scenery sounds amazing, and the trail through the Gobi seems challenging and rewarding, but she's also had a bout of intestinal discomfort that sounds pretty bad. I can't imainge trying to run like that while she's so sick, but hopefully a good nights rest will put her back on the mend for tomorrow, which is another 50km day.

I had a bout of "intestinal discomfort" similar to this a few years ago while visiting Egypt. We dubbed it the Curse of the Pharaohs, and lets just say it was one of the worst experiences of my life. Don't get me wrong, Egypt is an amazing place, and I loved every minute of my time there, but a word of warning. If you plan to go, don't eat at the Cairo Sheraton. You'll wish death would come for you. ;)

Inside Dean Potter's Delicate Arch Climb

Outside Online, the website for Outside Magazine has posted an excellent new article entitled How Delicate Was Dean?. The story takes an indepth look at Dean Potter's free climb of Delicate Arch a few weeks back. I blogged about it when the story broke, but this article offers a lot more information, and is an excellent read, as is usual with Outside.