RANGE Magazine by RANGE

Issue Three

2015

“Untitled”, hand-cut PVC yoga mats on panel by Alex Ebstein, 2015

1 8 . Running and Seeing

0 5 . Off-line

a n es s a y by a da m ger emia

ou tdoor ther a py for the ma s s es

2 4 . The Patagonia Worn Wear Tour

0 6 . Silence / Shapes RANGE ISSUE

ma ter ia l s ma ke the s tor y

a n inter v iew w ith fil ip po minel li

2015 THISISRANGE.COM @THISISRANGE

0 8 . The Indelible Thread of CORDURA速

2 6 . Organic Climbing

meet the maker

#RANGEMAG

2 8 . Pattern Clash by Reebok

1 0 . Kassia Surf moder n day mer ma id

1 2 . Days in the Desert p r ofil e : mika el kennedy

3 7 . Generation Rad p r ofil e : p eter s u ther la nd

1 4 . The Temple of Water

3 8 . FORM Arcosanti

a moja v e des er t a dv entu r e

1 6 . At Home in the World l izzie ga r r ett mettl er - the

THE

COVER

SILENCE/SHAPES FI LI PPO M I N E LLI

1 7 . Rad Retailers mov er s & s ha ker s

4 1 . #AdultCamp a new a ge of w et hot a mer ic a n netw or king

r eed

4 3 . Escape Plan

s pecial s hout-out to

publisher

contr i b utors

Range

Adam Geremia, Dave Sutton,

e ditor ial di r ector

Rhea Cortado, Obi Kaufmann,

Jeanine Pesce

Mary Peffer, Sydney Halle,

jeanine@thisisrange.com

a qu ic k gu ide to bike c a mp ing

of c ommu nity s pa c es

Joel Speasmaker, Cooper Gill, Andrea Praet, Julie Atherton, Scott McGuire, Jennifer Holcomb, Ron Croudy, Cindy McNaull,

Alex Gomes, Alton Richardson,

art di r ector

Jonathan Cammisa jon@thisisrange.com

Jaclyn Johnson, Jardine Hammond, Ivy

Martina Brimmer

Reynolds, Chelsea Parrett,

photog raph e rs

Doub Hanshaw, Taylor Stacey,

designer

Lizzie Garrett Mettler, Ben Ferencz, Martin

Filippo Minelli, Nick Joseph,

Molly Gavin

Kassia Meador, Josh Helke,

Jon Gaffney, Angelo Spagnolo,

Carvajal, Tyler Clemens,

Victoria Masters, e ditors

Sean Hansen, Abe Burmeister,

Mikael Kennedy,

Nina Stotler, Caleb Woods

Julie Ellison, Jessica Clayton,

David Smith, Gale Straub,

Jay Nelson, Andreas Herr,

copy e ditor

Peter Sutherland,

Wilton Gorske, Leo Livshetz,

Alex Gomes

Alton Richardson

Christina Saboe, Jeremy Dunn,

alex@thisisrange.com i l l u s t r ato r s social media

press

James + Tara Carroll,

artists

Jessica + Thomas Bender,

Seth Neilson,

Sydney Halle

Suzanne Scott, Kyle Kennelly,

Christine Mitchell Adams,

sydney@thisisrange.com

Allison Ritter, Colleen Dunn,

Obi Kaufmann, Alex Ebstein

h ug e than ks to ou r s pon sors

CORDURA速

BURTON,

VENTURE

OUT,

Defne Altan, Sam Richardson

REEBOK,

STRUKTUR

EVENT,

LEATHERMAN,

WIGWAM,

TIMBUK2

A L E G A C Y O F U N D E N I A B L E Q U A L I T Y S I N C E 19 0 5 T H E S O C K O F C H O I C E F O R 110 Y E A R S

w w w . w i g4w a m . c o m

Im a g e : Vi c t ori a Ma s t e rs , F ORM Arc os ant i

OFF-LINE: Outdo or Therapy for the Masses “Cl imb the mountains an d g e t t he i r g o o d t i di n g s. Nat u re ’s pe ac e w i l l fl o w i n t o yo u as sunshine flo ws into t re e s. T he w i n ds w i l l bl o w t he i r o wn f re shn e ss i n t o yo u , an d the stor ms their e n e r g y, w hi l e care s w i l l dro p a w ay f ro m yo u l i k e t he l e av e s o f Au t umn.” - John Mui r

FORWARD

ince the beginning of time we have be en expressing ourselves in the great outdo ors. The earliest known paintings by man, estimated to be about 39,000 years old, were found in limestone caves on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. They were rough sketches of animals and outlines of hands. Mother nature has be en both our muse and our canvas, providing the inspiration and backdrop for human beings, from primitive men to modern day athletes, to create some of our most moving compositions on record.

with beneficial endorphins. “Grown-ups” from all walks of life are experimenting with both conventional meditation and various forms of “outdo or therapy.” From forest bathing to adult summer camps and building tre ehouse communes, we are retreating away from modern conveniences in order to endure today’s digital burnout. Long hours in front of glowing scre ens can’t compare to the magnitude of a full mo on or the brilliance of a sho oting star. There are a handful of people doing things differently. They are intentionally designing sustainable working and creative environments for themselves outdo ors as an alternative to the traditional 9-to-5 grind. With a New Age spirit, these natural dyeing workshops, roaming art collectives, trade shows in the desert and campers outfitted as mobile micro-offices are just some of the current community-based approaches to a hybrid combination of living on and off-the-grid. But in today’s world, these people aren’t se en as “hippies” or “nonconformists.” They’re considered enterprising visionaries taking control of their own destinies, providing the rest of us with the holistic blueprints for living a simple, more balanced life. They are going against the grain and recalibrating the system in the back of VW vans and high above the hilltops. At the end of the day, fre edom and purpose, whether financial or spiritual, are the main drivers for most of the decisions we make personally and as a society. If we can figure out how to let go of some of the stresses associated with those ideals, we to o can live happier, healthier, more enlightened lives. By combining the healing powers of mother nature with a progressive outlo ok on being “productive,” we may actually have a chance to survive this demanding concept we call success.

Photography, fre e climbing, painting, riding waves, sculpture, carving lines, illustration, running barefo ot—all of these creative pursuits can be considered physical works of art. These actions give us the ability to come together and share experiences, or to go it alone and create our own. The she er beauty and emotional power they possess can lead to higher states of consciousness, and by strengthening the mind, we strengthen the spirit and empower ourselves to transform physically. Have you ever noticed that after a grueling hike, a long run or a relentless bike ride, the sunset lo oks much more profound? It se ems as if the birds are singing your praises and the flowers are blo oming just for you. Each bead of sweat fe els like a badge of honor and every breath is an out-of-body experience. When our minds are clear, our senses are enlivened and we are that much closer to personal peace. We are completely “off-line.” Studies in the International Journal of Neuroscience and from the American Heart Association have concluded that meditation can help you fe el younger, decrease your risk for heart disease and stroke, and make workouts more focused. Stress-related chemicals, such as cortisol, are removed from the blo odstream and replaced

-Jeanine Pesce 5

S I L E N C E / S H A P E S AN INTERV IEW W ITH FILIPPO M INELLI

W hat attracts you to the concept of manipulating the natural landscape?

fter witnessing political protests where smoke bombs were used, Filippo Minelli was inspired to utilize them as a medium for his work in a very different way. Launched in 2009, the Italian artist’s ongoing photo series, Silence/Shapes, features vibrant clouds of smoke in the natural environment. He creates ephemeral works of art using an arsenal of colorful smoke bombs, capturing these brief and beautiful moments in time. Minelli is currently exhibiting his Silence/Shapes photos in a solo show at the Beetles+Huxley gallery in London until September 5, 2015.

I work with ideas, but deeply hate to explain them. Nature is simply stunning and makes me confront my human condition. What attracts me to manipulating it is the possibility of using nature to translate concepts into a visual language, to make these concepts readable by others in an empathic way, not just as an intellectual exercise. T he way the colored smoke lingers and fills the space is simultaneously eerie and poetic. Is the mood meant to be uplifting or somber? Nature is unpredictable and so are weather conditions. These elements decide the actual mood of the image, and I don’t really feel I should decide what’s best about it. This is why most of my works are created as an ongoing series instead of as single pieces. I prefer to represent the variety of reality rather than be a judge of it.

W hat is your relationship to creating art outdoors? Do you prefer this over traditional studio installations? I started creating outdoor art in a very spontaneous way since I’m interested in the relation between people and environments, both in natural and artificial landscapes. For my art, practice is really important to underline this mutual support between the environment and my interventions because I basically use public space as a studio. I get inspired by public space and people’s interaction with it. That’s also why my works very often relate to politics because I use reality as a preferred medium.

Many people compare the way that they feel in the outdoors to a spiritual experience. Can you draw any parallels? I would describe it as a humanist experience more than a spiritual one, but this is totally up to personal and religious beliefs. What I’m sure about is that being lost in nature is an incredible form of stability where things are very clear. Nature offers us time and space to truly understand who we are, the size we have, the difference between what we want to achieve and what we actually can. This is also why many people are uncomfortable with nature. alex gomes

T HE IND E L IB L E T HR E A D O F

C O R D U CORDURA® + Struktur Studio Collection Spring'16

ometimes it takes a village to build a garment. Once the seed has been planted, there are several factors that must come together in order for the initial concept to evolve into finished product. Collaboration is key and each stage of the “build” requires a different area of expertise, but it all comes back to creating lasting, timeless product. As a follow-up to last season’s collaboration with Alex Valdman to launch their Combat Wool™ line of fabrics, CORDURA® approached Michelle Rose, principal designer for Struktur Studio and co-founder of the creative conference, Struktur Event, to create a capsule called the CORDURA® + Struktur Studio Collection. This latest partnership’s goal is to highlight the softer side of durability as CORDURA® extends their Fashion / Function portfolio. With a background in creative, technical apparel design and management that spans small athletic and yoga companies, as well as large outdoor brands, Michelle saw that there was a big gap in the market for contemporary, lifestyle-meets-performance apparel, especially for women. This thinking was totally aligned with the CORDURA® brand’s mission to push the boundaries between traditional durable fabrics and the development of comfort-inspired materials. One thing led to another and after a series of brainstorming sessions, the two companies came together to launch the CORDURA® + Struktur Studio Collection. With a little help from bonding experts at Bemis, and Youngone, a leader in cut-and-sew innovation, the collection, in all its design-driven glory, was born.

Can you tell us a little about the conce pt of the collection? The CORDURA® + Struktur Studio Collection is a capsule collection of clothing for the modern woman. On a high level, my direction came from the beautiful, soft armor of fencing, kendo and japanese archery. I’ve always been inspired by martial arts, and the functional clothing that revolves around the different styles. I felt much more comfortable in a gi than in daily clothes and loved the idea of figuring out how to bring comfort into daily wear. Now with the current athleisure trend, it’s really easy to bring this influence to modern

apparel. At the ground level, I was very inspired by the latest generation of CORDURA® fabrics and seeing how I could pair them with ultramodern construction techniques and details. Clothing right now feels either very techy or very natural. I love both and wanted to play with ways to merge the two in the fiber mix of the fabrics, trims, construction and style.

W hat kind of CORDURA® materials are you working with? I had access to choose from a great variety of new and innovative CORDURA® fabrics. I ended up being inspired most by the natural fiber blends and looks. Nylon and cotton with just the right amount of LYCRA® fiber are the main drivers of the collection. All three styles are a hybrid of sorts with five fabrics across three styles. The fabric’s highstrength nylon fibers were originally developed for the military and workwear sector, and by integrating new innovations they were able to offer a great balance of long-lasting performance and next-to-skin comfort.

W hy did you choose to highlight three pieces in this collection? F or Spring᾿16, I wanted the

collection to be anchored by a great hybrid pant that paired a soft, but technical CORDURA® Naturalle™ woven with one of their new soft knits. The pant needed to be a modern universal fit that could be worn in various ways and work for different body types.

Ho w did you start working with CORDURA®? Cindy McNaull, INVISTA Global Brand and Marketing Director, and the CORDURA® brand were early sponsors and supporters of our Struktur Event conference. Through working together on that project, we had lots of conversations around design and the process of working with designers. I had been leading a team working on women’s outdoor and activewear when Cindy showed me a collection of new super soft Fashion / Function fabrics, including CORDURA® Naturelle™, Ultralite, Baselayer and Canvas. I was so inspired to do something with them, we started brainstorming about what a new direction of women’s outdoor could look like utilizing these amazing fabrics. It really just evolved organically from there.

Next I wanted a super chic, but very easy to wear top, which was heavily inspired by the beautiful CORDURA® Baselayer, a military-inspired, sweatshirt-like fleece fabric. It just felt so cozy, like something I wanted to live in everyday. A clean kimono sleeve, sporty hem and high side vents inspired by the Vietnamese Ao Dao give the loose fitting top a slightly sexy feel, but it’s so easy to wear. The jacket was the last challenge. The two-tone melange CORDURA® Naturalle™ ripstop fabric was a no-brainer for me to use from the moment I saw it. It’s hydrophobic on the exterior and hydrophilic inside, repelling harsh weather elements while wicking away perspiration. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I wanted to make a layering piece that fit well over the top and pant. I gave it a shorter front with a partial drawcord hem and a deep drop tail in the back to work well with the pant’s shape. It keeps it modern and loose without looking boxy and shapeless. I made it a pullover anorak because I love anoraks and hardly anyone ever gets them to the market.

E M P O W E R IN G B R A N D S W IT H D U R A B L E

R A

FA B R I C S S IN C E 19 6 7 , H E R E A R E A F E W O F O U R FAV O R IT E N E W CO R D U R A ® CO L L A B O R AT I O N S

CORDURA® + FairEnds Fall'15 Ho w did the idea for using Bemis tape as a design detail come to light? I’ve been working with Bemis films and bonding for over a decade for technical and lifestyle outerwear, and have always wanted to incorporate more of it into sportswear. Cut and bond is such a fabulous and modern medium, a perfect compliment to the collaborative vision that CORDURA® + Struktur Studio wanted to convey. I started to connect more with Jessica Hemmer after her involvement in Struktur Event this past year. She designs all kinds of new applications and techniques for Bemis adhesives and shows them in a way that is easy to translate into new ideas. We decided to introduce several different adhesive concepts, including sew-free construction, exterior overlays and decorative techniques. For example, we utilized line-bonding techniques to create really soft seams, and their EXOflex overlay that really complemented the ultra soft CORDURA® apparel fabrics. We also used iridescent overlay films to create a great textural pattern that also serves as enhanced abrasion resistance in the right places on all three pieces.

Ho w did Youngone come on as a cut-andse w partner on this project? Youngone was the last and incredibly key partner to join the collaboration. They have been far more than a cut-and-sew provider. Rick Fowler and the team in Vietnam were major collaborators in making our vision come to life far beyond our expectations. We picked Youngone to develop this CORDURA® + Struktur Studio capsule collection because we knew they had the expertise and equipment to handle the complex combination of knits and wovens, as well as the laser cut and bonding techniques we wanted to try on these new fabrics. We didn’t have much time to create this collection, and knew we needed someone who could understand where we were trying to go. The Youngone team got it right away, which basically eliminated a lot of back and forth communication that would normally take months and several protos. They were also very excited to work with the new soft touch Fashion / Function CORDURA® fabrics, so the pairing just made real sense.

ur friends at FairEnds, premium makers of fine things, teamed up with CORDURA® on a new line of classic baseball hats made with CORDURA® Canvas. We sat down with Ben Ferencz, co-founder of FairEnds, to get some insight into the collaboration and talk shop about “sneakytech” fabrics.

W hat kind of CORDURA® materials are you working with?

Can you tell us a little about the collaboration?

FairEnds is kno wn for its premium hat game, among other things. W hat kind of fle xibility does a hat provide in ter ms of creativity?

At FairEnds, we are obsessed with basics and love the simple, everyday product that’s just as flexible and versatile as your lifestyle. Our primary product offering is a ball cap, so we’re always searching for unique materials that enhance its minimal design, which led us to CORDURA® Brand. We love how their fabrics have a natural feel and aesthetic, but also offer technical function. To us, it was the perfect fit for a new collaborative collection of hats.

We chose to work with the CORDURA® Canvas, a 75% cotton, 25% nylon 66 fabric manufactured by Nishat Mills. We call it “sneakytech” because it’s very soft in appearance, but offers great strength and durability.

We love designing ball caps because they’re like a blank canvas, and every season we have the flexibility to come up with fresh fabrics, colors, patterns and prints to incorporate. We see hats as a function item first and design object second, which has often inspired us to experiment with various textures and fabrics.

Ho w did you start to work with CORDURA®? We met CORDURA® Global Brand and I m a g e : G i o va n n i D u c a Marketing Director Cindy McNaull at Outdoor Retailer last winter, and we’ve been fast friends ever since. Last spring, we took a road trip and decided to test out some products made with CORDURA® fabrics along the way. We shot some really fun photos and got to know the materials firsthand while traveling up and down the West Coast.

One thing that really became apparent to all involved is what an inspirational collaboration this has been between four amazing groups: CORDURA®, Youngone, Bemis and Struktur Studio. The excitement and positivity that was generated while building this collection shows through in the energy of the pieces. It’s what people feel, but are often not able to put their finger on. In martial arts we call it Chi, Ki, IImu or internal energy. Without it, it’s all just surface with jeanine pesce no substance. A paper tiger.

W hat does a brand lik e CORDURA® re present to you personall y? We have been fans of CORDURA® ever since we were little kids. I personally remember my first Kelty backpacks and long hours at EMS with my dad, amazed at all of the cool gear built with CORDURA® brand fabrics. We’re super stoked to be able to collaborate with CORDURA® to bring lasting performance to our sydney halle signature FairEnds hats.

Image: Dane Peterson

Modern Day Mermaid

“ K a s s i a re p re s e n t s t h e g ro w i n g n u m b e r o f women who bring as much style to surfing a s a cl a s s i c a l d a n c e r, r i d i n g w a v e s w i t h a n i n t r i c a t e, t w o - s t e p technique that is mesmerizing to watch.”

n an echoing concrete space in downtown Los Angeles, Kassia Meador and friends have built a beach fort for the Parachute Market design show, complete with a poured sand floor and repurposed pallet table. Huge pieces of salvaged driftwood and surfboards are lashed together with rope, while the brand’s psychedelic tie-dye wetsuits hang from sun-bleached branches.

The mood is undeniably Kassia. If she’s not at the beach, she’s bringing a slice of coastal sunshine with her wherever she goes. From her photography subjects to her distinctive design choices, all of Kassia’s endeavors revolve around surfing. She is a self-proclaimed modern day mermaid with a namesake line of wetsuits, the most necessary functional garment for getting stoked in California.

surfing skills.

Kassia represents the growing number of women who bring as much style to surfing as a classical dancer, riding waves with an intricate, two-step technique that is mesmerizing to watch.

Although many brands indulge in dreamy campaign images of bikinis and boardshorts, wetsuits are the reality for year-round surfers who aren’t living the island life. And in most cases, wetsuits are painfully boring, available in solid black or black plus a side panel of color. For women, this color option means, wait for it, magenta or turquoise.

This tribe, comprised of Kassia’s extended circle of free-spirits, musicians and artists, values style as much as function. And as their numbers grow, so does her core customer base.

“I’ve spent most of my surfing life in a wetsuit and have always felt it was the most pure fashion statement a surfer could make,” says Kassia, who grew up surfing Malibu’s famous First Point, the aquatic runway of surf style. She recognized that wetsuits were an overlooked canvas. “It’s really what we wear in the water that separates us from the pack. It’s a platform to accentuate your flair and personal style.”

Kassia isn’t the first to make design-driven wetsuits, but she certainly had a hand in moving the needle when it comes to style. Her K. Meador wetsuit collection for ROXY was a frontrunner, introducing bright, colored panels and illustrations in 2010, and her own KASSIA line refines her point of view even further. “Everyone has their own eye, their own vibe, their own way of transferring their energy through creative outlets. As long as you stay true to your voice, it will always shine through,” she says. Kassia’s otherworldly aesthetic permeates the entire collection; her cosmic tie-dye print neoprene is paired with premium slick smoothie rubber. The neoprene acts as a windproof shell, while infrared heat liners provide extra insulation. Articulated knees mold to the body and shorter ankle lengths help water flush out. The suits even feature a spare stash pocket for keys or Kassia’s in-house Palo Santo-infused wax. Every detail is considered.

A former ROXY-sponsored rider, Kassia herself is a brand, a true role model for the outsider surfer girl. She doesn’t fit the mold of an ultra-competitive athlete and contest surfer, nor is she a spokesperson more well-known for her bikini..b o d y t h a n

“I’ve spent most of my surfing life in a wetsuit and have always felt it was the most pure fashion statement a surfer could make.”

But as a strategic move, Kassia prefers to work away from the sea. She starts her day by the ocean in Santa Monica before heading Downtown to work in her studio on photography or new designs. “It’s just nice to feel the different pulse of energy of all the creative creatures living, working and existing Downtown, and not be distracted by the surf,” she said. Even mermaids are known to surface and bask in the sun. “Life is all about balance.”

r h e a c o r ta d o

DAYS

THE

DESERT

MIKAEL KENNEDY, PHOTOGRAPHER

Profile

olaroid film se ems made for the desert, for all that light, golden and worn. But don’t expect Mikael Kennedy to wax poetic about his work.

ret u r n to hi s n o m a d i c Po l a ro id wanderings, the photographer’s experience with these distinctive images has evolved through the years. “The significance of the Polaroid is very different for me now than it was then,” Kennedy says. “I thought it lo oked really co ol. It was merely aesthetic. It was self-contained and beautiful.”

“I spent 28 days in the desert, this is what happened, and this is what it lo oked like,” Kennedy says of Days in the Desert , a collection of Polaroids made while living for a month with his wife, musician Malaena Cadis, in the heart of Joshua Tre e National Park. Despite his matter-of-factness, the photographer can’t help but hint that the trip was as magical as it sounds. “For 28 days we watched the sunrise and the sunset everyday.”

Ke nn e d y s a y s . “ We ’ d g et u p ev e r y morning, have our coffe e. While my wife was recording I’d drive around, sho ot Polaroids and explore.” Exploration has always be en the heart of Kennedy’s work and while his care er has flourished in a variety of mediums, the Polaroid has be en central to his work. The relationship started when he found an SX-70 at a thrift shop in 1999, around the time he began to travel the U.S. extensively, collecting moments. The lifestyle of the road fueled Kennedy’s favor for the instant camera.

Like his images, Kennedy’s words have a simple grace. As with his Polaroids, distance and whim are present in every sentence. The photographer was hardly out of place in the mythical desert landscape. “We knew we didn’t want to spend another full winter in New York,” Kennedy says. “For years we’d be en talking about how awesome it would be to move somewhere completely different from where we live. We joked about getting jobs at a diner in a little town.”

“For 28 days we watched the sunrise and the sunset everyday.” They didn’t quite go as far as setting up shop in an obscure zip code, but last February the couple found a house to rent for a month and decamped to the desert.

“Traveling so much, you couldn’t process film,” Kennedy says. “Having a camera that would take a picture and develop at the same time was part of the nomadic existence.”

“Having a camera that would take a picture and develop at the same time was part of the nomadic existence.”

As he began to exhibit his Polaroids and sell the originals, his attachment to their sentiments matured as well. “It became really important to me that they were one of a kind, almost like a painting,” Kennedy says. “You even have dirt smudged on some of the images and the corners would get bent. It was really a physical representation of that moment.” Kennedy has a wise philosophy when it comes to selling his singularly unique Polaroids. “Every time I sold a Polaroid I was trading part of my past, but by selling it, I was buying a few days of my future,” Kennedy says. “I was parlaying my past to be able to continue forward.”

“You even have dirt smudged on some of the images and the corners would get bent. It was really a physical representation of that moment.” Continuing forward, Kennedy and his wife plan to leave New York and make the West Coast their permanent home with simple work and simple goals ahead of them. “I want a front porch I can sit on and read a bo ok. That’s my ideal day.” ang e lo s pag nolo

Buying caches of expired Polaroid film on eBay, Kennedy amassed thousands of images. In 2005 he began posting them to a blog, Passport to Trespass , which was how many early admirers were introduced to his work. “I started creating sequences of where I’d be en, creating a visual diary that ran for six years online.” In those six years, Kennedy began to garner attention from an impressive list of clients. He had his first gallery show in 2007, displaying 500 Po l a r o i d s i n s i d e a r o o m a t t h e C h e l s e a H o t e l . Th o u g h D a y s in t h e D e s e r t i s s o m et hin g of a

“We just worked on art, fucked around,” 13

THE TEMPLE OF WATER A M OJ AV E D ES E R T A DV E N T U R E Essay + Illustration by

O B I K A UF M A N

still 20 miles away from the road was a moment of profound disbelief. They had never experienced a moment when water was simply not to be had. There was never any true danger, unless you count the danger of letting the fear in and being overcome with emotion brought on by exhaustion. 20 miles only becomes a big number when you start believing that it is. Backpacking is often more about your mental training than your physical training, and we were eight people who had tested our physical constitution for the past three days now forced to test the reliability of our mental fortitude. There was water all around us. The sandy bottom floor was dark and damp as we dug down, but nothing liquid. Hiking with Hall and Jeff for so many years, we’ve developed patterns. Those two lead the front charge while I tend to be the anchor in the back. I get easily distracted by the beauty around us, as if someone is constantly

ou can never carry enough water. You are always going to need more than one gallon a day. Each gallon weighs eight pounds, so for three nights in the desert that means more than 32 pounds of liquid. Even though I’ve been backpacking the Mojave my entire life, every time I head out I am surprised by just how much water we need. Maybe it’s because bushwhacking is exhausting work, but the water invariably goes faster when you’re off-trail. You might be inclined to think that when the desert is cool, as it was in February when we took our last trek up and over Granite Peak across the Preserve, you may not need such a large personal reservoir. But even without the devastating temperatures, you can’t carry enough. It was three nights into our four-day desert journey when the true immediacy of our lack-of-water situation hit home. I’ve been hiking with the Juniper Ridge crew for over 10 years now and I’d been in worse scrapes than this with founder Hall Newbegin. We are comfortable out here. Solutions to every type of problem present themselves when you’re in the wilderness. The only real danger is psychological. On this trip we were leading a crew of six, including a couple New Yorkers who had never backpacked before. For the newbies, the moment they realized we were running low on water and were

“ I T WA S T HREE NIG H TS INT O OUR F OUR -D AY DESERT J OUR NE Y WHEN THE T RUE IMMEDIACY OF O UR LA CK-OF -WAT ER S ITUATION HIT HOME.”

sandy canyon floor. We needed to get higher to see if any of these stone basins held any water. As the canyon snaked and cornered left and right, I kept my eyes on the confluences, where the side canyons entered this main larger vein.

“I P U T M Y L IP S UP T O T HE S T O NE WA L L A ND B E G A N T O M A K E O U T W I T H T HE C A N Y O N , A ND I ’ V E NE V E R TA S T E D A N YT HIN G S O G O O D IN A L L M Y L IF E . ” Just before sunset, when the light was at its most opalescent and we were at our most tried, I found it. It was just a trickle, running down the rock in a thin line of pure diamond refreshment. I put my lips up to the stone wall and began to make out with the canyon, and I’ve never tasted anything so good in all my life. Colin pointed out a natural staircase in the rock wall, and the three of us began a short ascent to a place that was so stunning in its refreshment that we were all a bit overcome by emotion. Shallow ponds connected by a strong vein of flowing water extended up the blue stone gully, which seemed to be a temple to some desert goddess. We were instantly all loyal worshippers. We followed the spring up to the source where we filled four gallons of water from the seep and washed the dust from our faces in the sacred pools. It was there that I penned the poem “Mojavia Diosa.” How could I not? We had felt like we had been saved by the desert herself, that she had somehow not only accepted, but welcomed us.

tapping me on the shoulder wanting to tell me something. Hall and Jeff tend to barrel on through any obstacle, and on this trip they had it in their heads that the best solution was to get out of the canyon and to the road. We could get to water by dawn. I wasn’t convinced we needed to and kept my deliberate pace. Letting Hall and Jeff run ahead with the New Yorkers, I stayed behind with Colin and Molly. The canyon was just too beautiful, and we decided if we were going to die, so be it, right? It was early evening and the deep red light was cutting across the dark marble canyon under the most vivid turquoise sky. And there was the clue I needed: marble! These walls were granite and we were on a 14

“W E H A D F E LT L IK E WE HAD B E E N S AV E D B Y T HE D E S E R T HE R S E L F , T H AT S HE H A D S O ME H O W N O T O NLY A C C E P T E D , B U T W E L C O ME D U S . ” We met up with Hall and Jeff again about an hour after that. The party reunited in a moment of whoops and hollers like a pack of drunk coyotes. That night, under a blinking blanket of sapphire stars, we slept and dreamed about the beers waiting for us at the end of the trail the next day.

Illustrations: Christine Mitchell

At Home in the World WITH L IZZIE GAR R ETT M ETTLER ’ S THE R EED . COM

omboys have always held a certain mystique, their attitude pushing boundaries and encouraging individuality. We’ve long admired these icons and cool-girl influencers, but their style had never been regularly included in popular media.

Then came Lizzie Garrett Mettler and her blog Tomboy Style, an online destination to explore the expression of dress for those uninterested in couture or the red carpet. A freelance design and fashion writer, Mettler launched her site in 2010 to introduce tomboy-focused brands she admired alongside throwback imagery and original photography. Expanding into print after a successful two-year run, Mettler released her book Tomboy: Breaking Boundaries of Fashion, while growing the blog with brand and content collaborations. This year, the site moved to a bigger home, T he Reed, part shop, part blog and part travel site. The-Reed.com launched with two visual travel guides, “Escape to Sante Fe” and “Road Trip from Boston to Mid-Coast Maine,” capturing local flavor with photo diaries and itemized Google Maps. Products in T he Reed Shop mirror the style stories from the blog and pair back to the travel content, namely an offering of vintage Levi’s, fire retardant parkas made from the same materials worn by Japanese firefighters, and sailor tees. We visited Lizzie Garrett Mettler in her Los Feliz home, crushed on her dog, and chatted about what it’s like to be an entrepreneurial tomboy.

W hat was the impetus behind Tomboy Style?

How does travel play into your creative process?

I felt like there was a dearth when it came to fashion blogs for a woman like me. I’m not interested in runway or handbags, but I’m passionate about style.

I think traveling has a big influence on me because it forces you to observe the world in a new context. Can you share a bit about the site’s product?

How did Tomboy Style evolve into The Reed?

It’s mostly women’s apparel and accessories, but there are wild card items and a handful of vintage pieces. Collaborations will also hit the site throughout the year, including the Tomboy Trunks by Mollusk.

I started Tomboy Style in 2010 and when the book came out I felt that concept had run its course. I didn’t want it to get stale or repetitive, so I thought I’d evolve it into a more dynamic site offering a shop, editorial content and travel guides, while maintaining a cohesive message for the same people who connected with Tomboy Style .

W here are you sourcing? Japan, France, England and a lot from the U.S. I want to make sure items are made thoughtfully.

You say on your site that you “were searching for who the present day tomboy is.” W hat are your thoughts on that now?

Califor nia has been having a surge in the fashion industr y from Hedi Slimane to ACNE and even Kanye West. Is the momentum of L.A. culture helpful in your g rowth?

I think after five years of trying to define what tomboy style is I’ve accomplished that. I do feel like I embody tomboy style, but it’s also something people define through their own unique lens. I’ve defined tomboy style as something that may be initially identified by clothing, but what makes her wholly so is an inherent sense of confidence, rebelliousness and adventure.

There are certainly some elements of my blog that are distinctly Californian. Although I try to be sensitive to global climates, I think the fascination with California culture will mary pfeffer never get old.

S PA C ES

Old Souls Cold Spring, NY Owned by James and Tara Carroll, Old Souls is an outdoor lifestyle and fly-fishing shop located in the small town of Cold Spring, New York. The space specializes in curating a large selection of made in USA products and artisanal, responsibly made treasures from around the globe that fall into the categories of field, stream, camp and home—everything from heritage Filson bags and Danner boots to rustic charcuterie boards and Turkish blankets made on 100-year-old looms. The design of the store is warm, inviting and honestly inspirational, whether you’re planning a fly fishing trip in the Catskills or styling your cottage-style kitchen. Image: James Carroll

The At h l eti c Po r t l and , O R The Athletic started out as an online endeavor structured around the idea of designing socks to enliven cyclists’ wardrobes, one of the most noteworthy pairs being a six-inch tall sock embroidered with the infamous PDX Airport carpet pattern. Since then, the brand has established a multi-use brick and mortar in Northwest Portland that invites individuals to experience sport, art and culture in the same space. Filled with zines, jump ropes, tees, footwear and accessories, The Athletic retail store welcomes both the hardcore Pacific Northwest cycling community and the casual sports enthusiast.

Image: John Watson

Summer Camp Ojai, CA Occupying an incredible mid-century gas station, Summer Camp shop is inspired by the outdoors and the unique modern design culture that thrived in the middle of the 20th century. This destination store offers vintage camping and scouting goods, as well as handmade collectibles from makers across the United States. Custom, museum-quality framing and craft workshops on subjects like macram é and watercolor round out Summer Camp’s extraordinary space nestled in the Ojai Valley. sydney halle

Image: Susan Scott

SH A KERS

COM MUNIT Y

Image: Will Adler

Retailers

O F

M ol l usk S u r f S h o p Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA Over the past 10 years, Mollusk Surf Shop has become an institution for all things surf culture, including art, music, film and visual media. With locations in San Francisco, Venice Beach, and now Silver Lake, Mollusk’s storefronts offer a wide variety of high quality goods, often created by local friends and made in the USA when possible. Perhaps the best part about these shops is that they not only function as retail platforms, but also community spaces for musical performances and art installations like Jay Nelson’s “Club House” build out at the Silver Lake shop.

Image: Molly Gavin

R A D

MOV ERS

F i r es i d e C am p S u p p l y P hi l adel ph i a, PA Fireside Camp Supply is a one-woman show, owned and operated by 29-year-old Christina Saboe in Philly. The store combines the feel of a classic '70s camping outfitter with a stylish urban vibe, providing a variety of heritage, technical and youthful gear, as well as nostalgic, Boy Scout-esque gifts from small, local or American brands. Fireside’s quirky space aims to remind people there is plenty to explore outside the city limits: crisp green grass, fresh air and making memories with your friends and family. To get you started, the shop offers a gear rental service and hosts community events yearround, including free s’mores around the campfire on First Fridays.

Painting / Collage: Jonathan Cammisa 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every now and then, things fall into place.â&#x20AC;? 18

Fred Rohe, Author

The Zen

Running

PLEASE JOIN MY PSYCHEDELIC HIPPIE RUNNING CULT

By Adam Geremia

IRST, A WORD OF CAUTION: running in cut-off jean shorts is a terrifically bad idea and will lead to chafing in unmentionable places. I know because I tried. You could say this lesson was a necessary part of my learning to love running, but I really wish I could’ve skipped that part of the journey. Thankfully I didn’t give up running after that wardrobe malfunction and miss out on its many psychological and spiritual benefits. You see, I used to hate running. I was always the slowest kid in P.E. class and considered the whole endeavor pointless for someone like me. It seemed like one of those activities that only had value if you’re competitive at an elite level. So I stopped. For 20 years I didn’t run, except for the time I streaked at my college and needed to run from campus security. But that’s a story for another time. I decided to give running another try a few years ago, after reading Chris McDougall’s 2009 classic Born To Run . Closing the book, I thought, “Yes! I too am born to run!” and decided that shoes were evil and that in order to work properly, my feet needed to be free. Barefoot, I ran laps around my yuppie neighborhood. It felt subversive, even revolutionary. Stroller moms gave me a wide berth and looks of suspicion, as if I might be mentally unstable. I definitely wasn’t fast, but I started to like it. Between the sweat, blisters and chafing from my aforementioned jean shorts, I noticed a feeling that reminded me of meditation or yoga. Transcendence. Flow. Every now and then, things fell into place: my posture, the rhythm of my breath, the swing of my arms. I found the “zone.” I lost all sense of time and my legs felt like wheels spinning effortlessly beneath me, my feet barely touching the ground with each stride.

I wondered, “Do other people feel like this?” Flipping through running magazines, all I saw was a Type A competitive attitude. Five weeks to a faster 5K! Lose 10 pounds! 109 best power foods! It reminded me of P.E. class, where numbers equalled success. I wanted something deeper, something to connect to, something inspiring and soulful. So I dug into the history of running, collecting source material long out of print. I made some startling discoveries.

“I lost all sense of time and my legs felt like wheels spinning effortlessly beneath me, my feet barely touching the ground with each stride.” Though humans have been running since we could stand upright, the idea of recreational running is surprisingly new. A mere 40 years ago, several factors sparked a running revolution that helped shape the modern fitness movement. At the Munich Olympics in 1972, Frank Shorter became the first American to win the marathon in 60 years. But there was something else going on, too. The U.S. had gone through a countercultural revolution, and it wasn’t just about long hair and tie-dye. In the late ᾿60s and early ᾿70s, many people were seeking new ways of living, new models of health and consumption, and new states of consciousness. People were trying to design their lives and the

“I wanted something deeper, something to connect to, something inspiring and soulful.” world for the better, and at the core of this ing your bliss, you could watch your lap times on To make it tolerable, we watch Sportscenter, The exploration was an educational center in Big Sur, the run. Then in the early ’90s, the military made View or simply wait for the LED odometer to click California called the Esalen Institute. Esalen was GPS available to the public and eventually receivpast our target distance. This kind of running is founded on the belief that we can unlock hidden ers became small enough to fit on your wrist or merely about goal-oriented self-improvement, not potential in our lives through meditation, experiin your phone. Instantly you become a blip on transcendent self-actualization. What a tragedy. ential education, and lots of nudity. They hosted a Google Map like Pac-Man on a screen. Today Running used to be subversive, weird and wonderrevolutionary thinkers like Buckminster Fuller, there’s so much excitement about the Quantiful. It used to celebrate the existential search Aldous Huxley, Abraham Maslow, and of course, fied Self and the Apple Watch, I wonder if we’re created by pushing the body to its limit. Now Timothy Leary. They pioneered the integrated measuring the wrong thing. We accepted technolit’s safe, stripped of all spirituality, reduced to approach of mind and body, and named it the ogy as a welcome distraction to the painful chalnumbers and optimized for competition. What I’m human potential movement. Exploring all aspects lenge of running: Spotify playlists, Nike+ Instalooking for can’t be measured by time or calories. of the mind-body experience natuAfter all, how can you quantify tranrally led them to athletics, so they scendence? I admit that my running created the Esalen Sports Center. has become more conventional over Here they studied the meditative time. I traded the cut-offs for nylon aspects of athletics, what we now short-shorts—no chafing!—and even call the Flow State, or “being in started to wear proper running shoes. the zone.” And what better sport But I’m trying to keep the original to study than running, the most hippie dream alive. An Object An in the Object in thein the WhereWhere Breathe Breathe Deeply Breathe DeeplyDeeply An Object am Where I am I am I basic, primal activity? Distance Distance Distance Going?Going? Going? I imagine there are others out there The 1970s were not so long ago, like me—running for the high, wonderbut today running is so mainstream, ing what it all means—and that it’s important to note how weird someday we’ll all connect and take the sport was considered back then. over the running scene. Someday I’ll Adults seen running in public for start a psychedelic running cult like recreation were viewed with ridiThe Source Family doing the traincule and suspicion. Who would do ing sequences from Rocky . We’d call ThankThank YouThank Legs You Legs You Legs The Human The Human The Human This This Will This Will Take Will Take Take that voluntarily, for its own sake? ourselves The Seekers. Condition Condition Condition You Somewhere You Somewhere You Somewhere Runners regularly became targets for harassment from passing cars To connect with these potential devoand were stopped by police officers tees, I’ve devised a signaling system who suspected they’d committed a to chalk around my running route crime nearby. in the city. I was inspired by hobo These proto-joggers were early adopters who helped to prime the country for a mainstream running explosion. When Frank Shorter won the Olympic gold in Munich, a once-marginal activity became the Running Boom. Throughout the ᾿70s, 25 million people would start running. Among them Mick Jagger, Willie Nelson, Joe Strummer, hell, even Andy Warhol. People discussed the runner’s high like the latest underground drug available only to the initiated: have you felt it? This is when running was rad. Running was pure, unfettered by commercialism and spurring us to dive deep into the realms of the human condition.

The Swing The Swing The of Swing of of Your Arms Your Your ArmsArms

Take Take Inventory Take Inventory Inventory

You Are Youa Are YouaAre a Leaf Leaf Floating Leaf Floating Floating

Feel the FeelAirthe FeelAir the Air Around Around YouAround You You

Emptiness Emptiness Emptiness

Most Most Enemies Most Enemies Enemies Are Imagined Are Imagined Are Imagined

symbols from the 1930s, a visual code that helped transients communicate local information to each other: safe places to sleep, where to get free food. The Seekers code, however, directs one inward. Some symbols are visualizations, some are reminders and some completely abstract and meant to be interpreted differently every time. Think of them as little prayers between inner space and outer space.

I hope that this philosophy will gain underground momentum in the running world. Perhaps someday there will be a revolution for athletics, which will guide us back to our roots, encouraging people to connect with their bodies though movement rather than distract themselves with technolGravity Gravity Will Gravity Will Bring Will Bring Bring You Are You Are You Are WhereWhere YourWhere Feet Your Your Feet Feet ogy and competition. We’ll meet in I believe that in the next 20 on Earth Here on Earth on Earth You Back You Back You Back TouchTouch the Ground Touch the Ground the Ground Here Here back alleys behind running stores to years, running lost its soul. What stage group runs like performance happened? In pushing the sport from art happenings, wearing spirit animal marginal to mainstream, running costumes for our 5K. Our numbers will swell and companies stopped talking about transcendence grams and Facebook updates. What is wrong with we’ll buy some land and start a commune, live and started pushing achievement and competition. us? We took a beautiful, primal, transformative in geodesic domes in the forest, do naked yoga There were two milestones that cemented this activity and layered on so much shit you can together, and practice transcendent running medishift: the digital tech revolution and the commerbarely recognize it now! tation as our sacred daily ritual, seeking altered cial explosion of gym culture. states of consciousness with every step! Perhaps Gyms have only further distanced running from In 1972, Pulsar released the first digital watch. some of this scenario appeals to you. You’re its primal roots. In creating specialized environThis space age miracle cost $11,000 and only chasing the runner’s high, you’re looking for the ments for exercise, we’ve essentially industrialtold the time. But in a few years, Casio sold one “zone.” If so, be on the look out for The Seekers’ ized fitness. Take treadmills. Without the sights, for $40 and they added a stopwatch feature, signs on your run. They’ll take you where you’re sounds and smells of the outside world, running which forever changed running. Instead of followlooking to go. becomes a torturous, self-imposed death march.

“Running used to be subversive, weird and wonderful. It used to celebrate the existential search created by pushing the body to its limit. Now it’s safe, stripped of all spirituality, reduced to numbers and optimized for competition.” 20

“Running was pure, unfettered by commercialism and spurring us to dive deep into the realms of the human condition.”

7. 7.

10 8

9. 11. 6. Eadweard Muybridge, Motion Studies 7. Willie Nelson 8. “To help my breathing I sing while I run, but very rarely my own songs.” - Mick Jagger 9. Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett 10. Eadweard Muybridge, Motion Studies 11. Joe Strummer

1. Fred Rohe, Author of The Zen of Running 2. Mike Spino, Co-Founder of the Esalen Sports Center and author of Beyond Jogging: The Innerspaces of Running 3. George Sheehan, Author of Running & Being: The Total Experience 4. Jim Fixx, Author of The Complete Runner’s: Day-by-Day Log and Calendar 5. Mike Spino meditating 21

Image: Mikael Kennedy

Delia the Worn Wear Repair Wagon en route to Portland, Oregon. Image: Donnie Hedden

M AT E R I A L S M A K E T H E

eliable clothes are trusted friends. They’re with you through it all: nights out, summits reached and wipeouts survived. Each experience leaves its mark on you and your gear. Concert t-shirts and broken-in jeans make the cut, but the clothes we take outdoors create the most visceral attachments. Patagonia gets that. They understand the sentimental attachment we have to our well-used apparel, even when it’s nearly destroyed. For years, they’ve been quietly repairing Patagonia gear in Reno, Nevada and returning it ready for its next adventure. This spring, the brand took repairs on the road for the “Worn Wear” U.S. tour. Combining revitalized trucks with mobile repair studios, Patagonia set out from their Ventura, California campus to traverse the country, making onsite fixes and documenting the stories behind them. Patagonia’s Product Responsibility Analyst Nellie Cohen and her team spent the last year planning the logistics of the trip. The genesis for “Worn Wear” had its start in 2005, rooted in the “Common Threads” program, which allowed Patagonia customers to turn in their old apparel to be recycled and remade into new textiles. A noble idea, but according to Nellie, “We learned that our apparel lasted a really long time and most of the items that came back didn’t need to be recycled, just repaired.” Armed with new insight about their consumers, Patagonia built the largest apparel repair facility in the country. They also

S TO R Y

launched in-store repair locations and a growing library of free repair tutorials on iFixit. They made all repairs free, whether you bought it yourself, found it at the thrift store, or inherited it from an old flame. As Nellie told us, “the Patagonia label is your receipt.”

“T he Patagonia label is your reciept.”

quickly focused the conversation to taking “Worn Wear” on the road. A plan came together: Jay would build a mobile repair studio on the back of a vintage Dodge pickup and Brody Travel Supply would build a mobile retail shop within an old box truck. Both would run on biodiesel and be solar-powered. Jay took up residence at the Patagonia campus to build the “Worn Wear” repair truck at its spiritual home. Jay most often uses reclaimed wood, the perfect

As the repair services evolved, so did the storytelling. In 2013, Patagonia Ambassador Keith Malloy and his wife Lauren launched the “Worn Wear” blog to let customers tell the individual stories behind their clothes. In November of that year, they released a video compiling all of these narratives, tapping into the emotional connection that develops as experiences are collected. Over the next two years, Patagonia continued to highlight customers’ “Worn Wear” stories. In 2014, Monika McClure from Patagonia began talks with Jay Nelson, a San Francisco artist, to create a store installation in contrast to the vapid consumerism of Black Friday. Jay’s experience building whimsical24wooden campers

Jay Palmer and Delia in Moab, Utah. Image: Donnie Hedden

Oregon State Park Ranger Matt Davey picking up his jacket in Smith Rock, OR. Image: Donnie Hedden

fit for the Patagonia truck. We met him at his San Francisco studio to get his perspective on the project. “Often working with a company there are compromises, but with Patagonia, I was totally behind the ethos.” Just like a patched-up fleece, reclaimed wood tells a story, salvaged when it could have been destroyed. Nelson chose to use his favorite timber, redwood, for the Patagonia truck. He loves it because it’s soft and pliable, and “is so essentially San Francisco. One hundred years ago, everything was built out of redwood in the Bay Area.” He’s always looking for material that would otherwise go to waste.

Jay Nelson in his studio, San Francisco, CA - Image: Gale Straub

Art work in J ay Nels on’ s s t udio, San Francis co, CA I mage: Gale St raub

Sketches of Delia by Jay Nelson, San Francisco, CA. Image: Gale Straub

“Just like a patchedup fleece, reclaimed wood tells a stor y, salvaged when it could have been destroyed.”

mirror how Patagonia has used the “Worn Wear” Instagram account to uncover customer stories across the country, providing an intimate sketch of the people who are the bedrock of the company’s success. While the tour pauses in Boston and the first iteration comes to a close, we’re waiting eagerly to see what the next “Worn Wear” evolution will be. jon gaffney + gale straub J ennifer Garcia had t his Snap-T repaired for a friend aft er a backcount ry s king accident . I mage: Donnie H edden

For the Patagonia truck, Jay had a friend up in Point Reyes with giant redwood wine barrels to spare. To Jay, it made sense for the truck to have a hint of California and the potential to ripen with age. Materials connect the dots between place and experiences, past and future. Visiting Jay’s studio in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco, it’s clear he’s an artist who takes his cue from his materials. Surfboards, salvaged furniture and reclaimed lumber are stacked around the yard between the airy workspace he shares with his wife and their home. Constructed from salvaged posts, the studio is pole-framed with sliding glass doors and a strategically placed skylight to combat the perpetually foggy weather. Jay starts his process with sketches, but the character of the material tells him what to do. Jay’s personal materials also have stories to tell, starting with memories he’s made wearing his Patagonia puffer jacket. Splattered with paint from countless projects and punctured with holes, Jay reminisces about experiences he’s had over the years while working in the jacket. These tales

The Worn Wear tour crossed through twenty-one states and traveled 5,641 miles. Image: Donnie Hedden

RGANIC O C LI M BIN G O R G A N I C

Climber: Julie Ellison, Lake Tahoe, CA

C L I M B I N G

S P E C I A L I Z E S

IN.CUSTOM.ORDERS. A ND . C R E AT E D . A . L IF E - S I Z E D REPLICA.OF.THE.RANGE.FLAG F O R . U S . T O . M E S S . A R O U N D W I T H . . P R E T T Y . F R E A K IN G . C O O L !

ike a Louisville Slugger baseball bat or a pair of Nike Air Jordans, the Organic crash pad is considered to be a must-have piece of gear for the sport of bouldering. Go to most any area and you’ll likely find the bright pads and chalkbags strewn about the wo ods. Widely heralded as the go-to pad for highballs and heavy use, the American-made pad company handcrafts each pad in the Pennsylvania mountains just outside the town of Philipsburg, employing eight fulltime people and making a consistent, tried-and- true product. Each pad is carefully stitched by hand and no two pads are alike. Using contrasting colors and bold, vibrant patterns, Organic has created a unique, artistic style while also building a functional, safe and durable crash pad. Being a near-zero waste facility, Organic recycles virtually all their scraps by making different styles of chalk bags and small packs. There is a sense of pride in owning certain pieces of climbing gear and Organic pad owners fe el this in spades. Nothing beats the satisfaction of a perfect landing full of brightly colored Organic pads when you’re high above the ground, other than not landing on them at a lt o n r i c h a r d s o n all.

Images: Alton Richardson

Climber: Julie Ellison, Mickey’s Beach, CA

L E AT H E R M A N . C O M / T R E A D

Anorak, adidas by Stella McCartney

PATTERN

S P O N S O R E D

R E E B O K

Im ag e s : N i ck J o s e p h // St y li s t : J a rd in e H a mm o n d H a ir + M a ke up : Alli e B e n g t s s o n Mod e l: Gilli an @ Fre e d o m // M o d e l : G a b r i e l @ Ph o to g e ni c s

Jacket, Re ebok Lighthouse Neoprene Scuba // Tights, Re ebok One Series WP Thermal Tight // Sneakers, Re ebok Z Pump Fusion

C L A S H

Jacket, ISAORA // Top, Snow Peak // Joggers, ISAORA // Sneakers, Re ebok Classics Tiger Camo

Tights, Aether // Sneakers, Re ebok Instapump Fury

Poncho, Re ebok Lighthouse â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s Fle ece Cape // Tights, FP Movement

Top, FP Movement // Joggers, adidas by Stella McCartney

Top, Aether // Tights, Aether // Sneakers, Re ebok x Face Stockholm Classic Leather Spirit

Jacket, ISAORA // Shorts, Outlier // Sneakers, Re ebok Ventilator Adapt ST

Top, adidas by Stella McCartney // Skirt, Snow Peak // Sneakers, Re ebok Dance URTempo Mid Twist

A poem about Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mountain biking photos:

I N . A . D O W N H I L L R

S P A C E . I S . T H E P

W H E N . Y O U . F A L L O F

O C

R E

fin

Images: David Smith

Profile: PETER SUTHERLAND

introduction to the power of nature, to gravity as an accelerating force.

or Peter Sutherland, the image is a starting point, not a final product. A picture of a passing moment may fester in his mind, being reshaped and reformed until it ends somewhere unexpected; a mountain printed across particle board, an advertisement printed on the face of a rock. He is not limited in medium.

Recently Sutherland has evolved from simply alluding to mountains to mixing images with the very materials of mountains - rocks. “I was thinking about flat surfaces I could put images on,” Sutherland says. “I thought, ‛Oh, these cut rocks have flat sides. What would happen if you intervened with that?’”

For an artist so well regarded, Sutherland came late to image-making, first falling in love with photography when his brother gave him a camera at age 23.

The resulting photographs, printed on the face of geodes, are some of his most striking and inventive pieces to date. Part sculpture and part image, the crystals stand imposing, carrying their own connotations as objects, with hollows of purple and silver teeth. When plastered with an image of flames, a shaman or a marijuana plant, the rocks become a conversation. Earth and art, Sutherland makes one out of the other.

“I liked the balance of it,” Sutherland says, “the challenge of trying to pull meaningful or funny or poetic images from everyday life.” Growing up in the late ᾿80s, the heyday of “rad,” when skateboarding, snowboarding and mountain biking exploded from niche into mainstream consciousness, Sutherland’s affinity for the aesthetic of the era permeates his recent work; a pyramid of water bottles covered in bootleg stickers, snapshots of vintage ski graphics.

An artist is judged by the end results: objects in a gallery, images on the web. For Sutherland, the process is as important as the product, crediting “blind faith and trusting your instincts,” more than specific techniques.

“All those little stickers and graphics and stuff were kind of my TV,” Sutherland says. “Those were the ways people were expressing themselves.” There is an awareness required though, Sutherland says, to working with visuals so commonly associated with youth culture.

“I work in a way that’s not about pre-visualization,” Sutherland says. “It’s about having an experience, recording it, editing it, then trying to recontextualize or repackage it in the form of artwork.”

“Sometimes I actively have to make my work seem less young,” he says, laughing. “There is a bit of nostalgia in there, but it’s not all nostalgia.”

Art has the rare ability to be both personal and universal, for individual experiences and documentations to resonate with strangers. Sutherland’s work settles in that sweet spot, binding nature, sport and the randomness of design in each. ang e lo s pag nolo

It is no surprise Sutherland’s work resonates with those at the meeting space of art and the outdoors. His work is often rooted in, though not without a critique of, the activities that gave many of us our first 37

F O R M

A r c o s a n t i

magined by the Italian-American architect Paolo Soleri, the experimental city of Arcosanti rests in Arizona’s high desert about an hour north of Phoenix. Since 1970, this unique community has be en a work in progress; an “urban laboratory” modeled from concepts of arcology, the fusion of architecture and ecology. A small staff resides in the city, while thousands of students, artists and tourists visit daily. It also provides the backdrop to FORM, a forward-thinking “celebration of life, art and creativity” organized by Los Angeles-based band Hundred Waters. Only in its second year, FORM is an experience unlike anything else, shaped by its inspiring environment, ethos and the collective energy of its hosts and attende es. RANGE contributors Victoria Masters and Dave Sutton of Stadiums & Shrines —last se en driving across New Zealand in our Winter 2015 issue—camped at the thre e-day music event over Memorial Day we ekend. They set up cliff-side among roughly 200 guests clustered throughout the grounds, in a geodesic dome tent courtesy of Heimplanet. Days were spent with friends exploring the labyrinthine structures and surrounding nature, and then convening in the amphitheater at dusk where a beautifully curated flow of performances carried well into the starry nights. dave s utton

Images: Victoria Masters

Blue Bear Outside x RANGE

alking sticks have been around since the year of the flood. In ancient Egypt, a stick or staff was seen as a prized possession, buried along-

side its owner to protect their travels in the afterlife. Often used as weapons, they also symbolized wealth and status for powerful men, carved with elaborate patterns and adorned with jewels and gems. Genealogy sticks told stories about families, passed down from generation to generation with burnt markings, colored oils and intricate carvings. Hiking sticks, comparably simple in form, have played a role in the ascent and descent of primitive hikers since the beginning of time. Our friends at Blue Bear Outside, a SLC-based outdoor lifestyle brand, have created a customized walking stick for RANGE Magazine, handcrafted by founder Thomas Bender. Originally used on a backpacking trip in Yosemite, the stick was sanded down, primed, painted with bold â&#x20AC;&#x153;BBOâ&#x20AC;? blue, and then glossed to highlight its natural wormholes and organic lines. Complete with a

jazzy

hand-screened

bandana, this BBO x RANGE walking stick

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teed to make a statement on and off the t r a il .

ties. The bevy of comforts included on-site baristas from Sightglass, gluten and dairy-free menu options, morning yoga accompanied by hugging breaks, and swag from TOMS and Teva, amenities that eased the transition into the emotional and physical wild. As we travel through adulthood, moments where it’s socially acceptable to make new connections in person are less and less. Deep into careers and family, we tend to share our limited facetime with those we already know. A getaway for like-minded creatives is appealing because it isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but puts us back in touch with a process we have relegated to the virtual world. It helps when it feels more like a vacation than a planned networking event.

ou may have noticed an influx of business conferences masquerading as vacations over the past few years. Some call themselves “think tanks” or “melting pots for thought leaders,” and others simply use the phrase “entrepreneurial communities.” Although the names are largely a mash-up of hipster cliches, this new regime of crowd-sourced learning has basically saved our lives, and Unique Camp is leading the way.

crowd by offering annual weekend salons. Founded in Los Angeles by creative community influencer Sonja Rasula, Unique aims to connect peer groups professionally and personally without feeling bored.

The Unique Camp has created a space of availability where there isn’t one, demanding attention and delivering quality conversation and content through a state of consciousness. mary peffer

This year, Sonja’s event packed 200 adults in school buses and headed up to a YMCA in Big Bear, California. It’s hard not to be open-minded when you’re at a breathtaking 7,000 feet, but meeting new people in this environment felt authentic and easy. Prior to the camp kickoff, guests were invited to share an “I’m going off the grid” message to followers on social platforms, a move designed to comfort people who rarely disconnect. The group’s commitment to ditch all phones increased attention spans and R K I N G encouraged us to meet new people. What else were we going to do?

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Not that long ago, networking meant hundreds of ill-fitting suit-clad execs zoning out to monotone presentations in boozy convention centers. Companies happily paid nominal fees for the continued education of N E T W O their staff and the promise of valuable contacts. Thankfully, it appears these formulaic events and their ubiquitous promotional tote bags have gone extinct.

W E T

People are still meeting and greeting, of course, but the formula has changed. Among the new leaders, the Unique Camp stands out from the

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The four-day offline experience included crafting, carving, singing, climbing, hiking, dancing and learning through various organized workshops. All this at a wooded 120-acre little kids’ summer camp complete with modern day glamping ameni-

Images courtesy of UNIQUE CAMP

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lways inspired, never willing to settle, Timbuk2 makes traveling from A to B stylishly simple.

Whether running to the bus, biking through traffic or hustling across the airport to catch a flight, today’s urban adventurers are constantly on the move. With that in mind, the Set Backpack, part of the Impossible Collection available Fall 2015, is thoughtfully designed with CORDURA® nylon fabric and genuine leather bindings and trim. The carryall backpack is water-resistant and tech-friendly, offering storage and protection for an iPad and 15-inch MacBook Pro in separate sleeves. And the features don’t stop there: swing the bag around to access your travel essentials in seconds with the quick-release shoulder strap. Timbuk2 has created a lifestyle built on endless possibilities. All you need to do is pack your bag and come along for the ride.

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A Q UICK GUIDE TO B ICYCLE CA M PIN G by M a r t in a B r imm e r Illustrations: Seth Neilson

elcome to camping by bicycle. First things first, for an overnight excursion chances are any old bike will do, but there are a few things that will make your outing a little easier. We recommend a bicycle with gears because your camping supplies will slow you down a bit. The most common setup is a rear rack to carry bike bags full of food, camping supplies and shelter. Let your bicycle do the heavy lifting so you can enjoy the rhythm of the open road. Try to pack as minimally as possible. Stripping down to the daily essentials is one of the most liberating things about traveling by bicycle because you pay closer attention to the landscape and people along the way. This doesn’t mean you’re signing up for a sufferfest. On the contrary, when we simplify our belongings, we can amplify the little pleasures that make life so satisfying, like brewing coffee as the light hits camp on a summer morning, or chillin’ cross-legged next to a glowing fire sharing a nip with travel buddies. Soak in the moment. For a single night out, you should bring along a mat, sleeping bag and shelter. Gear designed for backpacking is perfect for bicycle travel. Backcountry gear is lighter and more compact than ever, which makes bike camping pretty luxurious without a ton of weight. We like to bring an inflatable pillow along, and even grind our coffee beans fresh each morning. There’s no need to rough it unless that’s your calling.

“Stripping down to the daily essentials is one of the most liberating things about traveling by bicycle because you pay closer attention to the landscape and people along the way. ”

Every tour is as unique as your travel style. The pace and distance is wholeheartedly up to you. It’s a retreat, a time to relish the open road, and we all do that a little differently. The allure of bike camping is that there’s no prescribed way to do it. Start with low mileage to get a sense for riding with a loaded bicycle. If you’re road touring and the terrain isn’t crazy hilly, we think 50 miles a day is the perfect distance, and allows for a laid back pace. 50 miles sounds ridiculous? You’d rather tool around and smell the roses? Great! As long as you are living the dream, it’s all good. Make sure to eat often and drink water. It takes work to pedal along, and the landscape can be challenging, so stay fueled by snacking tons.

FOOL PROOF PACKING TIPS MINI EVERYTHING. Shrink your stuff. Put sunscreen in a smaller tube, take pasta out of the bag and put it in a ziplock, and don’t take the whole salt shaker if you can put a little seasoning in film cannister-sized containers. Take a 1-liter pot and cook in cycles instead of lugging three pots along.

FILL THE DEAD SPACE. Put your fuel bottle, some food and even a pair of socks into your cooking pot. That way you can utilize the dead space created by your cookware. The same applies inside your panniers. Stuff small things into the nooks and crannies so your bags don’t overflow.

BALANCE YOUR WEIGHT. Make sure the weight in your two bags is even so your steering is stable. I like to put my tent on top of the rear rack with a bungee because it leaves more space inside the bags for my sleep setup, clothes and kitchen.

If you’re an outdoor chef at heart, the most satisfying part of the day is cooking over the open campfire. We suggest stopping at farm stands along the way to gather supplies for grilled veggies or making fruit salad. Relish the evening sounds in your open-air kitchen and daydream while you turn hot dogs at a ritual pace to the hum of the river. Before you head out of town by bike, you should know how to fix a flat and have the tools you need to make a repair on the side of the road. You’ll feel tough and capable knowing you’re self-sufficient and can maintain your bicycle. As for other tools, bring only what you know how to use, and don’t overthink what to take along. A patch kit, an extra tube, tire irons, a multi-tool, some additional bolts in case your racks come loose, and zip ties are key. Be safe in traffic. Ride on the shoulder where possible, and try to stay steady and linear as you forge ahead. Some drivers will give you lots of space and others will be jerks. The reality is that traffic is the biggest risk of bicycle touring. Some folks choose to wear more visible clothing on high traffic roads, and seriously, a helmet is a requirement. Finding quiet roads can be an art. Switching Google Maps to “bicycle” mode is a great start, but it doesn’t always reveal the killer routes that make your heart sing. When you’re planning, be curious. Maximize that map to scour for farm roads and country lanes running parallel to highways. Ridewithgps.com, Strava’s heat map and Gaia GPS are also good resources. Individual counties often publish bike route maps, so check for local resources wherever you can. Inquisitive travellers jump in whole hog. If it looks like Sturgis at that dive bar in the middle of nowhere, chances are there are some awesome characters to crack open a cold one with. Everyone loves talking to people they meet on a bike tour. Don’t think twice about stepping into that little museum along the road, or strolling a boardwalk with the blue hairs at the Audubon Center. Bike camping is equal parts going there and getting there. A good overnight brings you closer to the sights and sounds of the places you’re exploring. The cadence is perfect for letting go of the daily grind and taking it all in from the helm of your bicycle. We roll home from each adventure jonesing for the next great escape. 43

CAMP KITCHEN ESSENTIALS ·Food grade HGPE cutting board

(Tap Plastics or REI)

·Sharp knife ·Spoon ·Small spice kit

(salt, pepper, cumin, chili, etc.)

·Small squeeze bottle of cooking oil ·Small pot and pan ·Backpacking stove and fuel ·Coffee kit ·Cup or enamel mug for eating and drinking