Out There Monthly March 2012

VOL.8 // NO.7 // MARCH 2012 // www.OuttHeReMONtHLy.COM

MONTHLY

tHe INLAND NORtHweSt GuIDe tO OutDOOR ReCReAtION

tHey CAN’t Be StOppeD NEW RuNNiNG CLuBS TaKE OFF PG: 18

FRee

Health & Fitness: Warm Or Cold Drinks For Your Workout? pG:9

News: Big New Bike Swap Comes To The Fairgrounds pG:8

What’s Your Gear?: Ryan Kerrigan, Whitewater Rafting pG:12

Everyday Cyclist: There’s Bike Club For Everyone pG:10

Last Page: Fill Your Ears With Packfiller Podcast pG:22

OUR SPECIALTY AR E G / BIKES

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Out There Monthly / March 2012

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/ Out There Monthly

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4

Out There Monthly / March 2012

In This Issue p.6 / Editorial

MONTHLY

Target Zero

By Jon Snyder

www.outtheremonthly.com

p.7 / Out There News

Out There Monthly / March 2012

Dirty Dash Gets Dirtier, New Bike Swap In March, Shrub and Seedling

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Jon Snyder jon@outtheremonthly.com Art Director

Sale

Kaitlin Snyder Managing Editor

p.9 / Health and fitness

Amy Silbernagel McCaffree

Cold Or Warm Drinks For Exercize?

Health & Fitness Editor

Dr. Bob Lutz

Dr. Bob Lutz senior writers

Jon Jonckers, Derrick Knowles

enonation.com

Contributing Writers:

p.10 / What’s Your Gear?

Ryan Kerrigan, Whitewater Rafting

Bradley Bleck, Hank Greer, Stan Miller, Erika Prins, Juliet Sinisterra, John Speare Distribution Coordinator

By Amy Silbernagel McCaffree

Barbara Snyder To request issues please call 509 / 534 / 3347 Ad Sales

p.11 / Book Reviews

Bill Bloom: 509 / 999 / 8214

New Dean Karnazes Book and The

Magnetic North

By Stan Miller and Jon Jonckers

p.12 / Punish Stuff

Out There Monthly

Mailing Address: PO Box 559 Spokane, WA 99210 www.outtheremonthly.com, 509 / 534 / 3347 Out There Monthly is published once a month

by Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. ©Copyright 2012 Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly.

The views expressed in this magazine reflect those of the writers and advertisers and not necessarily Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly.

Panaracer Bike Tire Review

By John Speare

p.13 / Everyday cyclist There’s A Bike Club For Everybody

By Hank Greer

p.14 / Sustainable Living Has The Time Come For Time Banking?

Disclaimer: Many of the activities depicted in this magazine carry a significant risk of personal injury or death. Rock climbing, river rafting, snow sports, kayaking, cycling, canoeing and backcountry activities are inherently dangerous. The owners and contributors to Out There Monthly do not recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they are experts or seek qualified professional instruction and/or guidance, and are knowledgeable about the risks, and are personally willing to assume all responsibility associated with those risks.

Printed on 50% recycled paper with soy based inks in the Inland Northwest

By Juliet Sinisterra

PROUD MEMBER OF

p.16 / March INLAND NW OUTDOOR CAlendar & 6 Month Training Calendar Out There Monthly also supports

p.18 / Running Teams Intensity In Your City

By Jon Jonckers

p.21 / Photo of the month And Roadtrip DJ

By Rob & Lyla Gray & Bradley Bleck

p.22 / Last Page Fill Your Ears With The Packfiller.com Podcast

By Erika Prins

On the cover: Chris Morlan shows off his SDP t-shirt. // Photo by Jon Jonckers.

March 2012

/ Out There Monthly

5

From the Editor: Target zero Is there anyone who didn’t hear about National Park Service Ranger Margaret Anderson? She was shot to death on Mt. Rainier on New Year’s Day. Anderson’s death sparked a nationwide discussion about the safety of backcountry law enforcement. She was rightfully lauded as a hero who died while protecting park visitors from an enraged gunman who later expired in the woods from exposure.

Here’s a name you might not have heard of: State Parks Ranger Ed Johanson. Johanson was driving home from work when he was killed in a head-on collision with another car on Friday February 24th. According to a press release

from the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, “the driver of the other car was being evaluated for narcotics and was taken into custody on investigation of vehicular homicide.”

Governor Gregoire made a statement to the press. “Like so many of our employees, Ranger Ed Johanson was the type who went above and beyond to make both our parks and our state a better place,” said Gov. Gregoire. “A tireless advocate and innovator for our parks and a beloved community volunteer, his loss will be felt.”

I mention the Governor because I’ve just been appointed to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Commission. One of the first pieces of sober-

ing information I received on the Commission was the fact that alcohol or drug impaired driving is still a factor in 48% of traffic fatalities in Washington State. While that percentage is down significantly from what it had been 30 years ago, the impaired driving fatalities are still way too high. Of these incidents, 63% happen in rural areas similar to where Ranger Johanson was killed.

The Commission’s Primary focus is an initiative called Target Zero. Target Zero aims to end all traffic fatalities by the year 2030. At first glance I thought that sounded unrealistic. But a staff member at the commission explained

it to me like this: if you aim low, you achieve low. A former Commission executive director insisted on a Target Zero strategy because he felt that every life had value and trying to achieve anything less would presuppose a lower effort to a very important problem. Sure that means we have a long way to go until 2030 but the intention is right. I only wish we’d gotten there before we lost another Park Ranger. // -------------------------------------------------------JON SNYDER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF editor@outtheremonthly.com For info: http://targetzero.com/Plan.htm

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Out There Monthly / March 2012

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/ Out There Monthly

7

Out There News New Bike Swap At the Fairgrounds

Buy and Sell Bike Gear March 24-25

Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale

Spokane County Conservation District Event Ends March 16 a deposit of at least 50 percent of the total, and only check or cash payments are accepted.

If anyone misses the order deadline or decides he or she wants more seedlings, whatever is not sold will be available at the Surplus Sale, which runs simultaneously with the pickup days in April.

For more details, visit sccd.org or call the SCCD

Buy, sell or trade your bike (new or used) at the 1st Annual Spokane Bike Swap on March 24-25, 2012, at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center—meeting in the Expo Annex A building.

Shopping hours are Saturday, March 24, 9:00 am–4:00 pm, and Sunday, March 25, 9:00 am– noon. Admission is $5.00 per person and anyone age 12 and under is free. Parking is free.

This event was planned and organized by a group of about 25 volunteers—the Bike Swap team—who partnered with the non-profit organization Friends of the Centennial Trail to help make the swap a reality.

Organizers say their overall goal for the swap is that it will enhance the biking community by being an inclusive venue to provide affordable bicycles that can be used for recreation, health and fitness, and transportation. At least 2,000 attendees are expected.

Many local vendors—including Wheelsport, North Division Bicycle Shop, Fitness Fanatics, NorthWest Recumbent Cycles, Emde Sports, Bicycle Butler and Terra Sports—will be at the swap selling new and used bicycles and accessories.

Anyone interested in selling a bike at the swap is encouraged to register online at SpokaneBikeSwap. com prior to the March 23rd Friday evening checkin, which takes place from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

According to event director LeAnn Yamamoto, the

bike corral will hold up to 200 bikes, “Our first-year goal is to raise enough money to cover the cost of the event and have seed money to help launch the 2nd annual Spokane Bike Swap in 2013,” says Yamamoto. “The remaining funds will go to the Friends of the Centennial Trail to assist in Trail projects.”

Eighty percent of the money that the Friends of the Centennial Trail receives will go in their “Trail Builders fund, [which] was created to provide essential community-based funding to projects related to the completion and enhancement of Spokane’s Centennial Trail,” she says. “At present, significant gaps exist which inhibit the safety and cohesiveness of Trail travel for its estimated two million users.”

The remaining 20 percent of proceeds will go towards the organization’s operating expenses.

Sponsors supporting this event include Sterling Savings Bank, Spokane County Commute Trip Reduction, Lee & Hayes, The Inlander, Bumble Bar, Spokane Ski Swap, Emde Sports, Numerica, Teck American, Northwest Orthopedic Specialists, Inland Northwest Health Services, Jubilant, HollisterStier, and Vida Nails. // 1st Annual Spokane Bike Swap, March 24-25, 2012, Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, $5 per person (age 13+), spokanebikeswap.com.

Photo of the Month Send your vertical-oriented, outdoor photo, 3 meg or less, with caption to editor@outtheremonthly.com.

Deadline for March 3/13/11. Winner gets an OTM carabiner.

Congratulations to Rob & Lyla Gray, who won February’s photo of the month and recieves an OTM Omega Pacific carabiner. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. By entering the contest you grant non-exclusive rights to Out There Monthly to publish your photo in our Photo of the Month feature. See page 21 for more details.

8

Out There Monthly / March 2012

at (509) 535-7274. //

Are you ready?

Expected to Arrive late March at: Atticus Main Market Huckelberry’s Super 1 on 29th Yokes Markets Gourmet Way North Albertsons on 37th Albertsons on 57th

Mar 11 St. Paddy 5k

Mar 24 Rapid Rabbit

more info at

www.runnersoul.com Spokane's only running specialty store.

221 N. Wall St. 509.624.7654

www.roasthouse.net

Bikes by the bushel. // Photo Jon Snyder

Peking Lilac, Redosier Dogwood and Noble Fir are just some of the 32 species available to purchase from the Spokane County Conservation District during its 2012 Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale, which ends March 16. The sale, which has been occurring annually for over 40 years, is “an outreach effort to provide the public the opportunity to purchase low-cost seedlings,” according to Rachel Rooks, outreach project coordinator for the Spokane County Conservation District.

“The species that we sell are suitable for a variety of conservation practices like erosion control/soil stabilization, reforestation of large acreage, creating windbreaks and screens, riparian enhancements, wildlife habitats, street or shade trees, as well as for Christmas tree farms and for beautification of urban landscapes,” says Rooks. “We typically sell out of several species during the course of our ordering phase, with the most popular species being our native reforestation trees (ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and western larch).”

The featured species at this year’s sale is the Gro-Low Sumac, a fragrant shrub that is drought tolerant and low maintenance. Unlike the other species, the Sumac is sold individually ($8 each) and will be potted.

Orders will be accepted through March 16, and seedlings will be available to pick up April 6-7 at the SCD Office, located at the Spokane County Fairgrounds.

“We average approximately 400 orders per sale, and the orders range from one bundle of five seedlings to an order for thousands of trees for a large reforestation project,” Rooks says.

SCCD provides an “Online Order Form Tool” for selecting species and quantities—www.sccd. org/TreeSale (online orders are not accepted).

The form tool calculates the total, and then users print the form, complete the personal customer information, and mail or deliver it in person to the SCCD office by March 16. All orders must include

Health andFitness Cool or Warm Drinks?

Which Helps Endurance Activities More? / By Dr. Bob Lutz

Is Ice water best?. // Photo B. Snyder.

I know it’s only March, but summer will be here before you know it. So let’s imagine it’s midday in August—the temp’s pushing 90, and you’re looking to cool off after coming in from a good run in the sun. What are you most likely to reach for—a cold Gatorade or a hot cup of coffee?

Your first response might be “Duh, whaddya think!” but if you were in another country, say England, you might just as quickly reach for a hot cup of tea as you would for an icy cold drink.

While there is certainly a preference for drinks that is somewhat based on where you live, there is no question Americans like their drinks with lots of ice. But when it comes time to cool off, is there anything to the notion that warm drinks work?

In regulating body temps (thermoregulation), there are a number of interconnected systems that are quite effective at maintaining internal balance (homeostasis)—the cardiovascular and nervous systems adjust heart and respiratory rates, the dilation of blood vessels, and of course sweating.

When you drink something warm, the body’s first response is to “cool off,” and in doing so, it increases your heart rate, dilates capillaries in the skin, and increases rates of sweating. But these are somewhat peripheral to what’s going on at the core, i.e., warming, and therefore you may feel cool, but the reality is that you’ve just warmed up your core temperature a bit. This leads me to what I really want to talk about—pre-cooling before exercise.

A few months back, I came across a few articles that talked about drinking cold fluids before exercise. This was one of those gee-whiz moments, as it just intuitively made sense. It’s well known that good hydration is fundamental to how well you exercise, especially in the heat. And it’s also been suggested that fluids should neither be too cold nor too hot to maximize how quickly they travel through the stomach (gastric emptying) and get absorbed, although this isn’t an absolute (other factors affecting gastric emptying include fluid concentration and volume). But more importantly, when it comes to thermoregulation and exercise, research has suggested athletes reach a “critical limiting temperature” (around 104°F) that causes fatigue—other related factors include

dehydration and impaired cardiovascular and neurological functioning.

Studies have looked at the effectiveness of peripheral cooling, using methods like ice-vests or cold/ice-water immersion. And while effective, they’re not very practical while out there for a run.

Putting this all together, cooling off the core by drinking cold fluids before exercise could theoretically create a reservoir to absorb the heat generated by exercise. If this was the case, then starting with a lower core temperature would allow for a longer time interval before a rate-limiting temperature was reached, all else being equal.

I came across a 2010 systematic review of the available research that indicated there were few studies looking at this possibility. That said, the reviewers concluded, “There is limited evidence of a benefit of consumption of a cold over a thermoneutral beverage for exercise in the heat. Overall the studies identified in this systematic review demonstrate that there may be a modulation of core temperature when a cold drink (<10 °C) is consumed when compared with a thermo-neutral drink (>37 °C)” (Burdon, CA. et al. 2010).

In one of the studies that was reviewed, average cyclists performed two experimental trials that had them drinking flavored water at either 39°F (based upon common refrigerator temps) or body temperature every ten minutes before they were asked

Studies have looked at the effectiveness of peripheral cooling, using methods like ice-vests or cold/ice-water immersion. And while effective, they’re not very practical while out there for a run. to ride to exhaustion in hot and humid conditions maintaining 65% of their VO2 max at a cadence of 70-90 rpms. They drank an additional 100 ml (~3.3 ounces) every ten minutes of the trial. The results demonstrated an increased time to exhaustion of 23 ± 6% with cold fluids. Core body temperatures, heart rates and sweat rates were all lowered with pre-cooling and reached similar threshold levels at exhaustion to the warm fluids trial. Subjectively, all cyclists reported less difficulty maintaining their pace with pre-cooling.

What does all this mean? Although it has been argued the reviewed studies only looked at small numbers of participants and there were some other methodological problems, I’d suggest the findings are still worth considering. Sometimes, the obvious just make sense, even if the research isn’t there yet. So next time you’re going out there for a run or ride in warm conditions, consider precooling by drinking your beverage du jour “on the rocks” and if it’s possible, keep your fluids cold while exercising. See if it makes a difference, and if it does, well maybe you’ve found a new training and racing tip. //

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www.northdivision.com North Division Bicycle Shop • 10503 N Division • 467-BIKE (2453) March 2012

/ Out There Monthly

9

What’s Your Gear: Ryan Kerrigan (whitewater rafting)

Floating down Ecuador’s Pindo River in a cheap inflatable raft with his brothers when he was seven years old was Ryan Kerrigan’s first rafting experience. They all survived—the rapids were no greater than class II. Now, at age 32, Ryan is a professional whitewater raft guide and executive director of Peak 7 Adventures—a local non-profit organization that provides outdoor experiences for youth. (He has a degree in “Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Management” from Clemson University in South Carolina.)

Ryan learned to be a raft guide on the Tieton River in Yakima in 2005. (To be a commercial guide in Washington State, one must complete a minimum 50-hour approved training course.)

Some of the essential attributes of a good guide, he says, are to be adventurous, able to “read water”

and remain calm with things go wrong. Ryan goes rafting about 50 times a year, but only occasionally as a Peak 7 raft guide.

The adrenaline rush and challenges of whitewater rafting are what he especially enjoys. And his most memorable rafting days are every time he is on the 100 miles of the remote and beautiful Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho. His other favorite rivers include the Trancura (Chile), Misahualli (Ecuador) and White Salmon (Washington). In addition to rafting, Ryan also enjoys whitewater kayaking—a sport he has done for the past 13 years.

“We are so fortunate to have a whitewater river running right through our town,” he says about Spokane, where he has lived since 2004. Although born in San Diego, he experienced a culturally diverse upbringing outside the U.S. “I grew up in the Amazon jungles of Ecuador and plains of Africa. Playing in the outdoors was a part of my life every day,” he says. “When I returned to the States, it amazed me that my peers spent the vast majority of their time watching TV and playing video games. I couldn’t believe they didn’t want to enjoy the outdoors like I did. The older I got, I saw more and more youth spending their time indoors, giving up interacting with Creation.”

This was Ryan’s impetus for co-founding Peak 7 Adventures in 2006.

“Getting kids off the couch and into the wilderness has an incredible impact on kids,” he says.

“It not only challenges their strength and endurance, but it can bring hope for a better life, teaches teamwork, and provides a high better than any drug. Being faith-based, we [Peak 7] view it is an incredible way to learn of God’s awesome power

By Amy Silbernagel McCaffree

and creativity.

“Robbie Rech and I started Peak 7 Adventures to help people enjoy the wilderness in a safe and challenging way. As we saw the impact it had on the lives of young people, we saw an opportunity that would allow anyone [who was] interested the ability to enjoy His creation, which is a privilege

“Getting kids off the couch and into the wilderness has an incredible impact.” that every child should have. Our focus has now become giving every kid the opportunity to do this. Over 95 percent of our trips are subsidized by donors, and youth receive scholarships to participate.”

Peak 7 continues to expand every year, and now has offices in Seattle and Portland. “As Peak 7 grows and is able to reach out to more young people, we are looking for new locations that have hurting youth as well as starting new programs that have the potential to engage youth year-round,” says Ryan.

When Ryan is not on the river or working in the office, he enjoys playing with his two young children (ages four and two), kayaking, rock climbing, mountaineering and snowboarding.

“I have had to force myself to do my best to stop work at 5:00 and be home for my wife and kids.

The list is endless of what needs to happen and what could be done. Drawing those boundaries has

been proven to be a challenging task. Family first, then work,” he says. “We are a family that loves to be outside.”

Here is Ryan’s gear list for whitewater rafting.

RAFT: Star Inflatables 13ft LX Eastern Star ------------------------------------------------------PADDLE: Carlisle Outfitter Paddle ------------------------------------------------------PFD: Kokatat Gore-Tex Expedition Dry ------------------------------------------------------HELMET: Sweet strutter ------------------------------------------------------WET SUIT: Camaro Stingray Semi-Dry 5mm Wetsuit ------------------------------------------------------BOOTIES: NRS Desperado Shoe ------------------------------------------------------RIVER SANDALS: Chaco Z1 ------------------------------------------------------CLOTHING: Kokatat Gore-Tex Rogue Dry Top and IR paddling shorts ------------------------------------------------------DRY BAG: NRS 3.8 Heavy-Duty Bill’s Bag ------------------------------------------------------GEAR BAG: NRS Purest Mesh Duffel Bag ------------------------------------------------------SUNGLASSES: Zeal Optics Insomnia ------------------------------------------------------PUMP: NRS 5” Barrel Pump ------------------------------------------------------KNIFE: CRKT Bear Claw Knife ------------------------------------------------------THROW BAG: NRS Pro Rescue Throw Bag //

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11

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Out There Monthly / March 2012

*All events are tentative and dates are subject to change.

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Book Reviews

wild walls

__________ spokane’s climbing gym & yoga studio

Outside Climbing is Right Around the Corner The Magnetic North Sara Wheeler, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2011, 315 pages

RUN!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss Dean Karnazes, Rodale Books, 2011, 272 pages

Dean Karnazes takes a whole new approach with his latest book simply titled RUN! His first book told his story about becoming an ultramarathon runner, and it reached New York Times bestseller status immediately. His second book, titled 50/50, highlighted his quest to run 50 marathons in 50 days in all 50 States. Truly, his nickname as the Ultramarathon Man has reached epic proportions. Nevertheless, the nickname is grounded in his amazing endurance, and this book only fuels his noteworthy accomplishments.

Bill Rodgers, winner of the Boston Marathon and the New York Marathon, claims “Dean is not an athlete of clichés but a man who deeply inhabits his life as a runner. He does that with a really solid sense of humor and an understanding that life and running can be very entertaining!”

While the book certainly entertains, it doesn’t have the same gusto as his first two. RUN! isn’t a narrative with a concise or consecutive theme —it’s really just a collection of stories cobbled together to make exactly 26.2 chapters. Most of the stories contain some good moments of triumph or camaraderie or adventure, but sadly many of the chapters felt like they were the leftovers from the previous books. It almost seemed like some stories stretched over multiple chapters in order to meet the marathon mileage tally.

The strongest chapters in the book include the profiles of unique training partners, the time he attempted to run 100 miles on a treadmill in Times Square, and the unbelievable 4 Deserts Race Series. The 4 Deserts consisted of races across Atacama, the Gobi desert, the Sahara desert, and the largest desert in the world, Antarctica, all in the same year. The weaker chapters include a few pages written by his wife, an interview with his kids, and some motivational chapters that read like they were borrowed from passionate speeches rather than a running story.

If you’re a runner and you liked his first two books, then you’re probably going to appreciate this one. If you read Born To Run, and you want to read another amazing ultramarathon story, then read one of his first two books. // Jon Jonckers

Banff Mountain Book Festival, Best Book: Adventure Travel As the book’s title implies, The Magnetic North is about both the north polar region of our planet and the attraction the area has for adventurers. Wheeler’s effort goes beyond being a chronicle of arctic adventure to reveal the cultures that existed in the North before Europeans and their North American offshoots intervened.

Most of Wheeler’s stories begin as tales of “Western” actions to explore and extract the

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“Every nation devastates native cultures, even if it doesn’t actually kill every one off.” resources of the Arctic; they eventually reveal the effect of this intervention on the native cultures.

As Wheeler writes, “Every nation devastates native cultures, even if it doesn’t actually kill every one off. Russians did it with bureaucracy, Americans with money, Canadians (in the end) with kindness. Swedes and Finns did it with chainsaws that chopped down forests. And everyone did it with booze and syphilis. Acculturation is a theme of The Magnetic North. It is a grim story…”

In eleven essays, Wheeler blends history, exploration and development (read exploitation) with the current status of the indigenous cultures into tales of arctic regions around the globe. Her descriptions are so fluid that one rarely notices the compound complex sentences common in the text. She is also careful to explain the many oceanography terms that sneak into the book as she explains climate impacts.

In one experience, she visits several arctic islands while on a Russian cruise icebreaker. She notes, “It was difficult to reconcile the happy images of a pleasure cruise with the threat of global inundation as the ice melted. Somewhere in the distance one heard the strains of a band playing on. Hope was one thing. Refusing to listen was another…Moral misgiving notwith tanding, I relished the luxuries of cruising after reindeer—hoof dinners and the challenges of camping at -22 ° F.” In the end Wheeler does a splendid job of contrasting the “Slow growth and long life (that) are characteristic of Arctic organisms” with the rapid change brought about in the last half century. The reader is exposed to both the changing climate in the north and what was, is and may be the “culture of the north.” // Stan Miller

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/ Out There Monthly

11

Punish Stuff Bike TIRES EXPLAINED

And Why You Should Try The Panaracer Pasela / By John Speare

www.TalkTrashSpokane.com Recycling Hot Line 625-6800

Free to Spokane County businesses!

Let us show you how to reduce your trash disposal bill while becoming a better recycler Pacific Materials Exchange, in partnership with Spokane Regional Solid Waste System, is offering free assessment services to Spokane County businesses that are interested in reducing their disposal bills and increasing their recycling efforts.

The services are provided completely without charge and all collected data is confidential. Several levels of assessment are available, ranging from a packet of information to an in-depth on-site consultation and survey.

For more information or to schedule a consultation: Call 625-6536 or email jhaynes@spokanecity.org

Partial funding provided by a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology.

12

Out There Monthly / March 2012

Cyclists that buy tires for the first time are often shocked at how expensive bike tires can be. It’s easy to spend $60+ on a single bike tire.

The cost of a bike tire can be attributed to how it’s made, what it’s made of, and who makes it.

“Threads per inch” (TPI) is often mentioned when people talk about tires. A higher TPI can suggest a higher quality tire, but in practice, it usually doesn’t.

In bike tire-speak, a “thread” in this context is the fabric under the rubber tread. The fabric threads are layered over each other to form the basic shape of the tire before the rubber layer (tread) is added. Each layer of fabric is a “casing.”

For tires with a single casing, a higher thread count indicates a higher-quality and likely betterperforming tire. Although often quoted, TPI is not a very helpful indicator of tire quality since some tire manufacturers advertise the sum of all TPI across multiple layers of casing to artificially inflate their TPI number. So, the first lesson of tirebuying, especially for commuter tires, is to ignore any sales pitch based on TPI. The casings for the vast majority of tires sold today are made from nylon threads. The casings are woven by machines. On the other hand, superfancy, high-performance casings are constructed with cotton threads and often hand-woven.

Casings are attached to either wire or Kevlar “beads,” which are the hoops that correspond to the wheel size and hold the tire under the small hook that runs along the inside of the rims on the wheels.

The rubber tread lives on the outside of the casing. Often, a thin layer of puncture-resistant material is sandwiched between the casing and the rubber tread. The sidewalls of the tires are often made of a different rubber compound than the “tread” of the wheel.

amount of resistance on the tire. Given this method, it’s no surprise that rock-hard skinny tires have less rolling resistance than higher-volume, more supple-tires. And if the streets of Spokane were paved with smooth stainless steel, there would be no question of which style of tire to ride. But roads are imperfect, bumpy, pot-holey and cracked. In the last few years, enthusiasts and at least one proper study have shown that in real-world conditions higher-volume, supple tires will out-roll their skinny, rock-hard counterparts.

The makeup of the tread, sidewalls, and puncture-resistant material determine the three qualities commuters care about in their tires: • Puncture resistance: Tire manufacturers have two main weapons against punctures.

They add a layer of Kevlar or other punctureresistant material under the tread, and they can use harder rubber compounds for the tread and sidewalls.

• Comfort: There are two main variables when it comes to comfy bike tires: volume (tire size) and the amount of stuff between the casing and the road. Big fat tires exemplify why John Dunlop invented the pneumatic tire to replace the wooden bicycle wheel. Puffy tires smooth out the bumps.

In addition, minimizing the number of layers in the tire and using supple rubber compounds for these layers makes for more comfortable tires, since the resulting tire will deform better around bumps and cracks on the road.

• Performance: As with all bike-related performance theory, there’s no consensus on whether a rock-hard skinny tire will always out-perform a wider, suppler tire. Most tires are marketed around the concept of “rolling resistance,” where a given tire is rolled on a steel drum that can measure the

Best all-around city tire: Panaracer pasela TG.

So where does all of this leave the poor cyclist that just wants a stinking commuter tire that is moderately priced, adequately puncture proof, comfortable and fast enough?

The answer: the Panaracer Pasela Tour Guard.

It’s about $30.

Buy the fattest width Pasela that you can fit in your bike.

The Pasela is the perfect balance of cost, flatprotection, comfort and performance. It has a fairly neutral tread that rolls fast enough on pavement yet provides just enough bite for non-technical dirt trails and roads. Any local bike shop can order them. And the good ones will have them in stock. //

JU

Everyday Cyclist

NE

Pedal the CHaFE 150, a magnificent ride through the lake and river valleys of Idaho and Montana. Or do the 80mile 1/2 CHaFE. Pick your challenge!

There’s A Bike Club For everybody 15 Groups You Can Ride With / By Hank Greer

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First 350 riders only!

SEE MORE AND REGISTER AT WWW.CHAFE150.ORG

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stronger rider, expand your biking gear, strengthen your traffic skills, learn the etiquette associated with the type of riding you’re doing, and of course enjoy good rides.

Rides are social events and often include stopping for a drink and snack. After you have a few rides under your belt, you might even try leading one. I’ve gone on club rides with as few as three and as many as 150 riders, and I enjoyed every one of them.

Most clubs—and quite a few local bike shops— offer rides from about March through September although there are some that ride year-round.

Most rides are “no drop,” meaning you are not left behind to fend for yourself. They may regroup a couple of times and let everyone catch up or they may have experienced riders who stay with the smaller groups that tend to form on well-attended rides. Experience has taught many of us that watching everyone else fade into the distance is no fun. And getting lost just makes it miserable.

Our area is loaded with recreational riding organizations. The Spokane Bicycle Club (www.spokanebicycleclub.org/rt) has been around since the mid-1980s. They have scheduled rides on most days of the week and they include all ages and skill levels. They also offer a Bike Buddy program in which an experienced cyclist can help you select your best commute route, ride safely in traffic, or do basic maintenance such as changing a flat. Twin Rivers Cyclists (twinriverscyclists. org) is a similar recreational and bike advocacy club in Lewiston, Idaho. The Tri-Cities Bike Club (www.tricitybicycleclub.org), the Wenatchee Valley Velo (www.bikewenatchee.org) and the Chinook Cycling Club (www.chinookcycling. com) in Yakima round out the offerings in Eastern Washington.

Women on Wheels (www.wowcycling.com) typically have weekend rides of 25-40 miles, usually centered around a restaurant or food stop somewhere on the route. Belles and Baskets (www.facebook.com/BellesandBaskets) is an allwomen group whose typical ride is 10-15 miles.

For mountain biking you have the Fat Tire

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Trail Riders Club (www.fttrc.org) who not only ride the trails but help build and maintain them. The Spokane chapter of Believers On Mountain Bikes (BOMB) (www.spokanebomb. com) emphasizes the fellowship and ministry aspects of its organization while fostering enthusiasm for mountain biking. In the Palouse, you can connect with the Moscow Area Mountain Bike Association (bikemoscow.org), and in Sandpoint is the Pend O’reille Pedalers (www. pendoreillepedalers.com).

Lifetime Members for Life are already familiar with the FBC (fbcspokane.blogspot.com) and its flagship ride, the Full Moon Fiasco. It’s a laid back evening ride that begins at one bar and goes to another. Some rides are themed such as the Festivus and Back To School fiascos. A new chapter of the FBC just started up in Sandpoint (fbcsandpoint.blogspot.com). The FBC has one rule: don’t be a jerk.

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Want to go fast? Spokane Rocket Velo (www. spokanerocketvelo.com) says they are of average to above-average fitness/talent with a bent towards road racing, but they include an occasional mountain bike or cyclocross race. All their rides are no drop, but they recommend you try one of their low-key rides first to see if you’re ready for the more intense ones. The Baddlands Cycling Club (www.baddlands.org), going on its 24th year, also focuses on racing and offers scheduled rides. In Walla Walla, check out the Wheatland Wheelers (www.wheatlandwheelers.com).

Some of the clubs I’ve mentioned—and this is not intended to be an exhaustive list—have very affordable dues and some are informal. While there are plenty to choose from, they are not the only game in town.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn how many local bike shops hold regularly scheduled shop rides. The type of ride depends on what routes or trails are nearby the shop; but just about every bike shop I spoke to offers something.

The Bike Hub (www.thebikehubspokane. com) has trainers for indoor winter cycling. In Sandpoint, the Greasy Fingers bike shop organizes competition sprints that take place at Laughing Dog Brewing, a bike-friendly pub (www. greasyfingersbikes.com, click on “Sandpoint Winter Goldsprints” in the Upcoming Events box). They have four bikes on trainers interconnected by computer. The first rider to reach 500 meters from a standing start wins. These double elimination tournaments make for an evening of both fun and exercise.

So next time you’re getting your bike tuned at your local bike shop, ask about their shop rides.

There might be something to suit your interests.

Try a club ride or two and see if that’s a group of people you can have a good time with. From my experience, the odds are in your favor—cyclists are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. //

March 2012

/ Out There Monthly

13

GoGreen: Sustainable Living

Has The TIme Come For TIME BANKING?

Time Exchange Programs Boosting Local Economies Around The Country / By Juliet Sinisterra

Time is money. According to Post Carbon Institute Fellow Chris Martenson, all money is a claim on human labor, whether that labor was performed in the past or will be in the future. In its most endearing form, money is simply a token of gratitude between two individuals whereby one has something of value and wants to give that to another. Money represents that token in return.

With the recent global recession, many communities are looking to complementary currencies as a way to support local businesses by keeping local dollars at home, as well as offering alternative ways to reimburse one another for their time well spent.

“People are burnt out—there are lots of volunteers in this community. Time banking is a great way to get something back in return,” says Carrie Anderson, Spokane time bank exchange catalytic convener.

“Many in the community are not in a position to give anymore; they are either underemployed or their skills are undervalued—time exchanges allow for this,” adds Bethany Haynie, who is leading the effort to develop the Spokane time bank exchange into a reality.

Local or complementary currencies can take the form of locally printed money, shared customer discount cards or time banking, which tracks shared units of service hours through online programs for participating members.

Presently there are over 100 locally printed currencies in the U.S. and over 50 local time bank exchange programs, with lawmakers in ten states circulating proposals to introduce alternative currencies as well. By law, individual communities in the U.S. are able to create their own currencies, including paper notes as long as the money is easily distinguishable from the U.S. dollar.

Anderson and Haynie see the Spokane time bank exchange working as a series of networks throughout the city, each one consisting of 150 to 300 individuals. Currently, they have a core group of 20 volunteers with many more interested in joining. The group is utilizing software from the successful time bank exchange in Portland, Maine, and they have plans to bring one of their facilitators to Spokane to lead a training session.

While supporting local business is key for Anderson and Haynie, their larger mission is to build community. Every hour of service will be valued at one unit, no matter what the service.

Networks will be built on trust, allowing members to bring different skill sets to their group, as well as trusting that the quality of work will be acceptable. Orientation meetings and background checks will screen potential members early on in an effort to avoid potential problems down the line, while community potlucks and other gatherings will allow for relationship building.

“What makes a healthy family, what makes a sustainable system, what makes a sustainable society—we want to provide an alternative where everyone’s work is given a sense of value purpose and importance,” says Anderson.

Following is more information on other complementary currencies from around the U.S. 14

Out There Monthly / March 2012

------------------------------------------------------Name: Austin Time Exchange Location: Austin, Texas Objective: The Austin Time Exchange Network (ATEN) provides a complementary currency that enables members to build community through the exchange of services. Everyone should get what he/she needs regardless of the amount of legal U.S. dollars he/she has or doesn’t have.

When Started: 2006 Legal Structure: Non-profit. # of Participants Today: Over 400 members.

Backed Currency?: NA Initial Community Stakeholders: Grassroots support from neighborhood groups.

Who administers the currency?: Three part-time staff, a board of directors, many volunteers.

Scrip Issued?: No—online accounting and trading only. All hours of service provided by members of ATEN are considered to be of equal value regardless of the type of skill offered in the exchange.

------------------------------------------------------

“People are burnt out—there are lots of volunteers in this community. Time banking is a great way to get something back in return.”

Name: Berkshares Location: Berkshire region, western Massachusetts Objective: To encourage residents and visitors to shop at locally owned and operated businesses; to encourage businesses that accept BerkShares to re-circulate locally; and to demonstrate to shoppers, stores and banks that a local currency is feasible so that we can grow into a more sophisticated currency; ultimately to develop a more resilient community economy.

When Started: 2006 Legal Structure: Non-Profit, open membership, volunteer board. # of Participants Today: 430 businesses, number of individuals using the currency is not known. BerkShares are available at any of the thirteen branches of five participating banks. Over 3.5 million BerkShares have been traded at banks since launch with $135,000 remaining in circulation at any one time.

Backed Currency?: Yes, by U.S. dollar.

Ninety-five federal dollars may be exchanged for one hundred BerkShares.

Initial Community Stakeholders: Local banks facilitate exchanges of dollars for BerkShares and vice versa, local businesses signed up to accept BerkShares, community members.

Who administers the currency?: New Economics Institute.

Scrip issued?: Yes, bills in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50.

Start-up funding: $10,000 grant for development, publicity and printing.

------------------------------------------------------Name: Supportland Location: Portland, Oregon Objective: Support local businesses through easy to use, customer discount card and business network. Every time a customer patronizes a local business, he/she earns points. Each participating business offers specific products or services that can be purchased with points. Customers can get a reward onto their card through the website and, in the near future, an iPhone app.

When Started: 2010 Legal Structure: Private Business. # of Participants Today: 101 locally owned businesses.

Backed Currency?: NA Initial Community Stakeholders: Launched by two private individuals.

Who administers the currency?: Private group consisting of four staff and over 20 local volunteers.

Scrip Issued?: No. Discount Card only. Can be obtained for free at any participating busi-

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------------------------------------------------------Name: Detroit Community Scrip (also called Cheer Dollars) Location: Detroit, Michigan Objective: To restore local economic confidence in a city that has an unemployment rate of 22.2 percent. Modeled after the scrip used during the Great Depression.

When Started: 2009 Legal Structure: NA # of Participants Today: Currently $4,500 worth of Cheers in circulation. Businesses can sign up to be “Reserves” and print scrip after depositing a matching amount in U.S. dollars and then be entitled to print Cheers. Presently 25 businesses signed up to formally accept Cheers.

Backed Currency?: Yes, by U.S. dollars, fully exchangeable for an equal amount of U.S. dollars.

Initial Community Stakeholders: Motor City Brewing Works was the first Reserve.

Who administers the currency?: Businesses that issue Reserves. The standardized face of the Cheer features the Spirit of Detroit over the Detroit Skyline. The back of the bill is designed by the issuing business and can vary.

Scrip Issued?: Yes—only in $3 bills. //

GoGreen: Sustainable Living SUSTAINABLELIVINGCALENDAR (March 3) Planting Tomatoes from Seed work! Shepard’s Grain will kick off our 2012 Workshop. When: 10:30 AM - Noon. Where: series and present on the topic of Sustainable

Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. Learn techniques to avoid tall, spindly tomatoes and get strong, stout stalks with hands-on activities, demos & displays. Free.

Pre-registration required. Info: 509-368-9378, sunpeopledrygoods.com.

(March 10) Celebrate Spring Workshop for Kids. When: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Where: Sun

People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200.

Learn about the spring equinox, seed starting and planting through stories and games. Â Then take home your own indoor garden! $25.

Pre-registration required. Info: 509-368-9378, sunpeopledrygoods.com.

(March 15) Free Film Showing of “The Future of Food”. When: 4 PM. Where: Sun People Dry

Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. Genetic engineering of crops is as controversial today as ever, as many large agro corporations use it as the answer to the world food crisis. 509-3689378, sunpeopledrygoods.com.

(March 19) Green Business Networking Luncheon. When: 11:30 AM - 1 PM. Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201. Come eat, learn, and net-

Agriculture and healthy food. Info: 509-2092861, sustainableresourcesinw.org.

(March 24) Natural Easter Egg Dying for Kids.

When: 1 PM - 3 PM. Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. Learn how to use natural ingredients to make beautiful and vibrant egg dye and take home a dozen colored eggs & instructions. $30. Pre-registration required.

Info: 509-368-9378, sunpeopledrygoods.com.

(March 24) Solar Energy Workshop with Bruce Gage. When: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Where:

Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. Learn how to best incorporate solar into your home or business with Bruce Gage from Eco Depot. $12. Pre-registration required. Info: 509-368-9378, sunpeopledrygoods.com.

(March 28) 10x10x10 Green Building Slam.

When: 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Where: Magic Lantern Theatre. 10 local designers/architects/builders will showcase their most exciting and innovative green building projects demonstrating cutting edge technologies, successes, lessons learned and more! Info: 509-570-4284, AGRA461@ecy.wa.gov.

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March 2012

/ Out There Monthly

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Outdoor Calendar CLIMBING (Ongoing Mondays & Wednesdays) Spider Monkey Climbing Club. When: 5 – 7PM. Where: Wild Walls,

202 W. 2nd Ave. For kids ages 4 – 10 years. Please call ahead. Come climb and meet new friends! Info: 509-455-9596.

(March 5) Women’s Climb Night. When: 6 – 8 PM.

Where: REI, 1125 N. Monroe. Ladies, come out and practice your climbing, agility and balance skills in a safe, encouraging environment. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/Spokane.

(March 8) Discover Rock Women. When: 6 - 8 PM.

Where: Mountain Gear 2002 N. Division. This fun filled all women’s class is your introduction to safety, knot tying, belaying and of course climbing techniques on the wall. You will be taught by certified and experienced instructors what you need to know for climbing at an indoor climbing gym. All equipment supplied for class. Ages 15+. $20. Info: (509) 325-9000.

(March 17) Youth Intro to Rock. When 1 – 3PM.

Where: Mountain Gear 2002 N. Division. Get your child ready for climbing! The class will introduce them to climbing safety, belaying techniques and knots, all taught by a certified instructor. We want to build their confidence so lots of climbing time will be involved. All equipment provided. Mountain Gear Ages 7-14. $20. Info: 509-328-9900.

(March 30) Red Rock Rendezvous. Where: Las

Vegas. Join Mt. Gear for the 8th annual Red Rock Rendezvous. If you’ve never been, come see what all of the buzz is about. If you have, bring a friend and share the spectacular weekend! Enjoy a weekend of climbing, food and fun with people from all corners of the world. Learn and climb at clinics taught by some of the world’s leading climbers. We’ve got something for every climber, from the beginner to seasoned vet. Info: redrockrendezvous.com.

CYCLING (Ongoing) Mountain Bike Rides. When: Varies.

Where: Spokane and vicinity. Spokane BOMB (Believers On Mountain Bikes) is a non-denominational Christian fellowship leading monthly group rides starting in April. Everyone welcome, helmets required. Info: spokanebomb@yahoo.com, spokanebomb.com .

(Ongoing Mondays & Wednesdays) Bike Hub Spin Classes. When: 6 PM. Where: The Bike Hub

Basement 12505 East Sprague Ave. Just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean you have to stop riding!

Bring your bike and trainer and come join us every Monday and Wednesday nights at 6pm for our spin classes. We have a huge projection screen and tons of videos! Info: 509-443-4005, thebikehubspokane. com.

(Ongoing Saturdays) Weekly Urban Bike Races.

When: 6 - 7 PM. Where: Cda Park. Bike Races, Format by Popular Vote at time of Race. Formats are : Relay, Picture hunt, Follow the clues, Sticker slap race. Road bikes Suggested. Prizes! Info: 313-7571888, facebook.com/event.php?eid&3050340401358

(Ongoing) WOW Cycling Spokane. Great cycling is here and we’re out on the roads and trails! We’re now on FaceBook as Wow Cycling Spokane, friend us! Info: 509-951-6366, wowcycling.com.

16

Out There Monthly / March 2012

(Ongoing) Belles and Baskets. Whatever style your

cycle, join other Spokane women for no-drop rides, treats, and friendship. Info: 509-951-4090, facebook. com/bellesandbaskets.

(Ongoing) Spokane Bicycle Club. S.B.C. offers eight

weekly rides of various lengths and difficulty for members and non-members. Check the web site for ride details. Info: 509-747-5581, spokanebicycleclub. org.

(March 14) Coeur d’Alene Ped/Bike Advisory Committee. When: 5:30 PM. Where: Old Council

Chambers, CdA City Hall. The Coeur d’Alene Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee to the City Council is held every 2nd Wednesday at 5:30 pm, 710 Mullan Ave., CdA. Info: (208) 769-2300, Facebook: Coeur d’Alene Ped Bike.

(March 31) Gran Fondo Ephrata. Where: Ephrata, WA. 78 miles of some of the toughest, remote country roads central Washington has to offer. Info: beezleyburn.com.

Submit your event at www.outtheremonthly.com

SIXMONTHTRAININGCALENDAR CYCLING (April 2012 - August 2012) Baddlands Cooper Jones Twilight Series Races. When: Tuesday

evenings at 6 PM. Where: Cheney, Spokane, Rathdrum, Liberty Lake, Steptoe Butte. Info: 509456-0432, baddlands.org.

(April 14) Ronde van Palouse. A challenging bicycle road race with gravel roads, rolling hills, and wind make this an epic race. Info: 509-8688604, spokanerocketvelo.com.

(September 8) Fairhaven Runners Waterfront 15K in Bellingham. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/

(Weekends May - August 2012) Inland Road Race Series. When: 8 AM - 2 PM. Where: Various.

When: 9 AM - 5 PM. Where: Lyons Ferry State Park to Palouse Falls, Cheney-Spokane Chapter of IAFI sponsors a hike that includes Ice Age Floods, geology, botany, and more. Go to website, Click on Calendar Tab. Info: 509.235.4251, IceAgeFloodsEWA.org

(March 17-18) Wilderness First Aid. When: 8 AM

- 5 PM. Where: Center Place, Spokane Valley. The Spokane Mountaineers are sponsoring a Wilderness First Aid class through NOLS. Cost is $190 per student. Limit 15 students. Info: 509-535-4511, jeffanddebharris@gmail.com.

(March 25, 29, 31) WTA Work Party. When: 8:30

AM. Where: Liberty Lake County Park. Come join Washington Trails Association Volunteers as we begin our 2012 trail improvements at Liberty Lake.

Info: 206-625-1367, wta.org.

ALPINE SKIING/SNOWBOARDING (March 3) KPND Retro Ski and Board Birthday Party at 49 Degrees North: When: All Day. Where

49º North Ski Area. Join Glen Lefebvre and Mike Deprez for a day of live music,fun, prizes and more.

Throw on your ski or board wear from your favorite decade...50’s-70’s-90’s whatever--and come celabrate 49 Degrees North’s 75th Birthday! Info: ski49n.com.

(March 11) Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Candidate Ski Evaluation. Want to join the Ski Patrol? Join us for the first step, the Candidate Ski Evaluation on the snow Sun. Register anytime at the Ski Patrol Chalet

(June 23) Justin C Haeger 10 Miler. When: 8 AM. Where: Spokane Falls Community College.

10 mile race to celebrate the life of Justin Haeger.

Over the years, this race has raised over $18,000 for Daybreak Youth Services. Info: 509-991-9779, jchtenmiler.com

(April 29) Lilac Century. Info: northdivision.com/

(Ongoing) Gals Get Going. When: Orientation at REI, March 7 at 7pm. Training for Bloomsday for all abilities! Meets weekly on Tuesday AM or Wednesday PM for comraderie and a coached workout! Info: galsgetgoing.com, Kirsten@galsgetgoing.com

(March 10) Lower Palouse Canyon Hike Field Trip.

(May 6) Lilac Bloomsday Run, the 36th. Info:

www.bloomsdayrun.org.

(August 18) Strides For Strong Bones 5k Fun Run/Walk. When: 9 AM. start. Where: Medical

RUNNING/WALKING

HIKING

10k 10:15 AM. Where: Riverside State Park. Info: 509-710-7760, Spokaneriverrun.com

(April 29) Spokane Trailquest. When: registration & start anytime between 8 & 11 AM. Where: Newman Lake boat ramp. Info: 509-280-5251, spokanetrailquest.weebly.com lilac.htm

(March 31) GS Cookie Fun Run. When: 9 AM. Where: Dwight Merkel Sports Complex. 3 mile and 1 mile, run/walk $15 before March 25th includes t-shirt, cookies to sample. Prizes for all age groups and random prizes. Info: 509-327-3803, bbkesc@ earthlink.net

Info: 509-868-8604, spokanerocketvelo.com

Lake - Waterfront Park, . Info: 509-953-9924, emdesports.com.

services/recreation/races.

TRIATHALON (May 12) Palouse River Duathlon. When: 9 AM.

(May, 20) Tour de Cure. This ride has four dif-

Where: Palouse Washington. Info: 509-939-2143, visitpalouse.com/duathlon.

(May 26-27) 24 Hours Round the Clock.. Info: www.roundandround.com.

(June 23) Padden Triathlon in Belingham. A sprint and super sprint triathlon. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/recreation/races.

(June 2) CHaFE 150. Where: Sandpoint, ID. One-

(June 24) Ironman, Coeur d’Alene. Info: iron-

(June 2) High Tide Ride. Anacortes, WA. Info: (360) 840-8778, ylnorthislands@hotmail.com.

(August 11) Bellingham Youth Triathlon. Three races, start times and distances for kids 15 & younger. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/ recreation/races/

ferent routes, 100, 50, 25, and a family ride. Info: 509-624-7478, diabetes.org/tour

day, 150 or 80-mile ride. Info: 208-290-7148, chafe150.org.

(July 21) Purpleride: Spoke d’ Alene. When: 9 AM. Where: Spokane and Coeur d’ Alene. Info: 509-990-9119, purpleride.org.

(July 22) Gran Fondo Mt Bike-50 Miles at the Pass. 4th of July Pass-Nordic Ski Trailhead. Info:

mancda.com.

(August 19) West Plains WunderWoman Triathlon.

When: 7:30 AM Olympic, 8:15 AM Sprint. Where: Medical Lake - Waterfront Park, Info: 509-9539924, emdesports.com

208-667-8969, bicycleservice.com/4thJuly.

MULTI-SPORT

MARATHONS

(May 5) GORUCK Challenge. Where: Portland,

(May 19, 2012) Windermere Marathon, Spokane.

Info: windermeremarathon.com.

(May 27, 2012) Coeur d’Alene Marathon. Info:

509-979-4370.

(June 10) St Joe River Marathon, 1/2 Marathon and 5K Run. When: 7 AM. Where: St. Maries

Idaho. Info: 208-582-0898, stjoerivermarathon. com.

RUNNING

OR. Info: 202-885-9736, goruckchallenge.com

(June 16) Dirty Dash & Peak 7 Adventures partner! When: 9 AM. Where: Riverside State

Park Equestrian Area. Info: 509-385-3123, www. peak7.org

(June 11 & August 27) All-Comer’s Track & Field in Bellingham. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/recreation/races.

(October 14) Klicks Mt. Bike Duathlon in

Bellingham. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/recreation/races/ //

(April 22) Spokane River Run. When: 50k/25k Fun Run 7:45 AM, 25k 8:30 AM, 5k 9:40 AM,

Have an Event You Would Like to List? // Please visit www.outtheremonthly.com and click the “Submit Your Event” link. // Events MUST be sent in by the 20th of the month to be listed in the following month’s issue. Please follow the when, where format as seen in the calendar. Ongoing events need to be re-submitted each month.

Outdoor Calendar shoe through majestic old growth forests to picnic point with only the moonlight to light our way. You’ll find that you can see very well as the moon reflects light off the snow. Capture a great view of Sandpoint and the surrounding area from picturesque Picnic Point. $30. Info: 208-255-3081, schweitzer.com.

(March 24) Bavarian Downhill Race. When: TBA. Where: 49º North Ski Area. A 49 tradition in March, open to all participants 21 and older. Four person coed teams (picked at random) drink one full pitcher of “Near-Beer”, run one lap through the course on Silver Ridge, and drink one more pitcher to finish the race. Enjoy the sounds of “Midnight Run” in the Boomtown Bar. Info: ski49n.com.

(March 11) St Paddy’s Five. When 10AM. Where:

(March 30-31) 24 Hours of Schweitzer. When:

8:30 AM Fri. to 8:30 AM Sat; also evening auction/awards dinner March 31. Where: Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sandpoint, ID. 24-hour relay open to skiers, telemarkers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities, held in honor of 5-year-old Hank Sturgis of Sandpoint. Info: 208-610-2131, 24hoursofschweitzer.com

NORDIC SKIING (March 3) Cross Country Ski Tour 49 Degrees North Women Only. When: 10 AM – 1 PM. Where: 49

Degrees North Ski Area. Make it a girls day out with Women’s Only Cross Country Ski Tour at 49 Degrees North. Cost includes trail pass, guides, lunch & drink. Info: 509.625.6200, spokaneparks. org

(March 3) Paws and Poles. When: 8 AM – 2 PM. Where: 49 Degrees North Nordic Area. This event is a cross country ski or snowshoe race with your dog and friends. All proceeds benefit SpokAnimal. Get tickets, $15, at Mountain Gear. Info: 509-325-9000, spokaneparks.org.

(March 10) Side Country Emergencies Workshop.

(March 30-31) 24 Hours of Schweitzer. When:

8:30 AM Fri. to 8:30 AM Sat; also evening auction/awards dinner March 31. Where: Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sandpoint, ID. 24-hour relay open to skiers, telemarkers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities, held in honor of 5-year-old Hank Sturgis of Sandpoint. Info: 208-610-2131, 24hoursofschweitzer.com

SNOWSHOEING (March 3) Paws and Poles. When: registration 9 –

11 AM. Where: 49 Degrees North. Dust off the dog booties, wax up your skis, dig out your snowshoes and have a heart-to-heart with your champion – because the 6th annual Paws and Poles fun run/ ski is back! Come play on the groomed trails at 49-degrees North with your pet. T-shirt, free trails, great people and a barking good time. Proceeds benefit SpokAnimal, so bring your wallet for the live auction to follow. $20. Info: Ski49n.com.

(March 9) Moonlight Snowshoe Hikes at Schweitzer.

When 6 – 9 PM. Where: Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Join our Activity Center staff as we snow-

Spokane Community College, Mission and Greene Sts. Official qualifying race for Bloomsday Second Seeding. Drawing for two $500.00 cash prizes and other prizes after the race. You must be present to win. BRRC follows the WSUSA rules for wheelchair-no hand cycles allowed. Info: brrc.org

TRIATHLONS (March 3) Methow Winter Triathalon. Bike, Ski, Run. A triathlon Methow Valley Style! This is a great way to kick off your summer triathlon training. The race is open to iron competitors or grab some friends and compete as a 2-3 person team! We have a new, exciting cloverleaf course in Mazama which allows for all the transition areas to be in the same location and provides for fabulous spectator viewing! 9:00 a.m. start at the Mazama Community Center Trailhead. Distances and Race Course Descriptions. Bike – 17.2Km, Ski – 10.7Km, Run – 7.5Km. Info: mvsta.com.

(March10) Side Country Emergencies Workshop. When: 10 AM - 2 PM. Where: 49 Degrees North. Learn how to prepare for and respond to the many emergencies or potential emergencies that can arise when skiing the far trails or side country. Info: 509.625.6200, spokaneparks. org (March 12 & 19) Outdoor Cooking Class. When: 6:30 – 8 PM. Become a legend as you learn the secrets of great outdoor cooking. Items covered include stove use and selection, baking on a lightweight stove, Dutch oven cooking, and backpack cooking. All equipment is supplied. Lab Fee of $5 payable to the instructor at class.

Pre class info emailed after registration. 2 Sessions, ages 8 & over. $29. Info: (509) 325-9000.

(March 13) Geologic Turmoil in the Inland Northwest.

When: 7 PM. Where: Community Building. Learn about the eastern Washington region’s geologic evolution with an emphasis on the Missoula Floods with speaker Dr. Gene Kiver. Hosted by INLT. Info: 509-3282939, inlandnwlandtrust.org

(March 14) Conservation Raffle. When: 7 PM. Where:

ADVENTURE RACING

1104 W Heroy, St Francis School. Spokane Flyfishers Conservation Raffle. Anything and everything related to flyfishing. Supports club conservation and youth education. Come early for viewing. Bring $$. Info: 509325-8885, sffishers@comcast.net

PADDLING / RIVER SPORTS

(March 17-18) Wilderness First Aid. When: 8 AM - 5

(March 8- April 19) SFF Fly Fishing School. When:

7-9 PM. Where: 1104 W Heroy, St Francis School.

Flyfishing School. $125 7-weeks. $60 youth.

Includes club membership. Covers every aspect of Flyfishing. Three Saturday casting sessions. Best Value anywhere! Info: 509-325-8885, sffishers@ comcast.net

YOGA (Ongoing - April 27) Iyengar Yoga Classes for Beginners. When: Mon 9:30 AM, Tues and Th

6 PM. Where: Sunflower Yoga. Iyengar Yoga is known for its therapeutic benefits, use of props and clear instruction. Gentle and intermediate classes also offered. Info: 509-535-7369, sunfloweryoga. net

PM. Where: Center Place, Spokane Valley. The Spokane Mountaineers are sponsoring a Wilderness First Aid class through NOLS. Cost is $190 per student. Limit 15 students. Info: 509-535-4511, jeffanddebharris@ gmail.com.

(March 24) 8th Annual Light the Way Dinner Auction.

When: 5 – 11 PM. Where: Doubletree Hotel Grand Ballroom, Spokane. Sponsored by Sterling Savings Bank, this year’s event will feature dining and dancing along with a live and silent auction while raising much needed revenue to directly support children with cancer and their families in the Inland Northwest.

Entertainment provided by “The Party Starters.” Info: acco.org/inlandnw. //

EVENTS/MOVIES/MISC… (March 8) Death Valley to Mount Whitney, Solo with Dr Lisa Bliss . When: 7 – 8:30 PM. Where:

REI, 1125 N. Monroe. Join REI and local ultra marathoner Dr. Lisa Bliss for an evening of inspiration.

Dr. Bliss is a Physiatrist, specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/Spokane.

(March 9) Friends of the Centennial Trail 4th Annual Adventure Auction. When: 6PM. Where: Northern Quest Casino. With a mix of wonderful live and silent items, this distinctive auction is not to be missed! Tickets are now available for best seating, so call now at 509-624-7188, spokanecentennialtrail.org.

(March 9-11) Inland Northwest Motorcycle Show.

When: 3p-8p Friday, 10a-8p Sat, 10a-4p Sun. Where: Spokane Fair and Expo Center. See hundreds of motorcycles and accessesories at fantastic prices.

We’ve moved.

And we need your help!

We’re at 1527 E 16th Ave. Thursday 2-6, Friday 2-6 Saturday 11-6

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

When: 10 AM - 2 PM. Where: 49 Degrees North.

Learn how to prepare for and respond to the many emergencies or potential emergencies that can arise when skiing the far trails or side country. Info: 509.625.6200, spokaneparks.org.

RUNNING

High Ridaz stunt team, Sound Riders seminars, Rooster Custom Cycles, KKZX Bike Off, Budweiser Biker Bar. Info: 509-466-4256, spokanemotorcycleshow.com

MAR 2012

or in the Bump Shack on top of Lodge 2. Nonskiing candidates are welcome to apply as well! Be at the Ski Patrol building at 8:00am SHARP. Skiers/ Non-Skiers/Boarders welcome. Plan a full morning of on-snow evaluations (non-skiers will be exempt from this portion), followed by chairlift interviews with patrollers. Lunch will be provided with an informational meeting. Info: mtspokane.com.

Want to volunteer? Email pedals2people.vc@gmail.com March 2012

/ Out There Monthly

17

They Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Be Stopped New Running clubs Take off

BY: JON JONCKERS

TOP: Rachel Jaten (left) and Jodi Suter (member of the Spokane Swift) BOTTOM: Members of the Spokane Swifts and the Spokane Distance Project // Photos Jon Jonckers.

18

Out There Monthly / March 2012

Chris Morlan has super powers.

By day, most people know him as an architect, a good husband and a caring father. But this is all part of his plan to blend in with the rest of the community. His modest demeanor and easygoing smile might fool some, but when it’s time to run, he reveals his true colors. Faster than other heroes can enter and leave a phone booth, Morlan delivers running workouts that astonish even the fittest runners.

He has the power to make a 12-mile trail run feel like 20. He can transform a tranquil city park into the site of a grueling speed drill. On special occasions, he has even been known to make runners curse their heart monitors, Garmins or stopwatches. But his greatest power, by far, is his ability to bring out the best in other runners as head coach for the Spokane Distance Project, a men’s running team.

“The long, slow trail run with Chris Morlan is the biggest deception in town. You have to run slow because the hills are too steep to do anything else,” jokes one runner during a Morlan-monster workout. Another runner says, “I think we have to keep laughing and joking. It’s imperative ‘cause I really don’t want Chris to see me cry.”

The Spokane Distance Project (SDP) formed in June 2010. The group’s initial goal was to train for the U.S. 15km Cross Country Championships hosted in Spokane that fall. After a successful two-month trial period, they decided to move forward as a full-fledged team. For many members of the team, running was already a big part of their lives, and the SDP just developed into a vehicle for each of them to train harder and smarter. The team absorbs each individual’s success, and uses it to fuel the team’s objectives and targets.

Morlan easily qualifies to serve as the coach.

He has cruised the Bloomsday course under 40-minutes on six occasions. He has completed multiple sub-2:30 marathons and raced in the 1996 Olympic Marathon Trials. While he didn’t run for the University of Idaho, during one semester he traced his runs on a Moscow City street map until he’d covered the full length of every street in town.

Even after he takes off his running shoes, his enduring passion for local running is unrivaled.

He spent over 20 years with the Bloomsday Road Runners Club, including three years on the Board, and one year as president. He coached Lewis and Clark high school cross-country and track for 15 years. He also served on the Junior Bloomsday Board of Directors from 1993 to 1997. Now that he’s working with the SDP, he’s able to exploit every training and recovery trick he knows, and really fortify the team.

Team captain, Andy LeFriec, continually emphasizes the rich value of the SDP. While he admits that every runner is a little different, he summarizes the best of the SDP with three main points: “Camaraderie is the greatest value you can get from running with us. Most of us take this running thing pretty dang seriously. We put too much pain, time and sweat into running not to be serious. But you’re also probably not going to the Olympics so we enjoy our teammates. Speed, to me, is the second best thing you get from the SDP. If you listen to Coach Morlan, you will get faster.

Another huge value within the SDP is learning everybody’s secret trail. There are so many cool trails in Spokane most people don’t know about, and it seems like every new runner brings a whole new set of cool trails and link-ups to places in town I never knew about.”

Spokane Distance Project actually got a late start. The team is practically an echo of the goals and values of the Spokane Swifts—a women’s running team founded two years earlier.

“Just like in life, the women have been working longer and harder than the guys,” said one female runner.

Heather LeFriec, Andy’s wife, is one of the founding members of the Swifts. “The Spokane Swifts team was created in 2008, back when Spokane hosted the USATF Club Cross Country Nationals,” she says. “A group of us who had [informally] run together for years decided it would be fun to dig out our old college spikes and enter a team into XC Nationals. We ended up entering

to have several options for a variety of race distances, thanks to so many suitable swimming lakes and safe bike routes within a few hours’ drive.

Scott and Tristin Roy relocated to Spokane from Hawaii in 2003. Both of them grew up in the Columbia Gorge, outside of Hood River, and both of them have been focused on triathlons for most of their adult lives. In Hawaii, they were part of a club called Team Jet Hawaii, so when they moved to Spokane they wanted to start something very similar. The Roys knew they wanted

------------------------------------------------------------------“Just like in life, the women have been working longer and harder than the guys,” said one female runner.

------------------------------------------------------------------two teams and one of our members coined us the ‘swifts,’ named after a bird that swiftly glides through the forest around Riverside State Park.

‘Spokane Swifts’ had a nice ring to it, and our graphic artist and club VP, Linda Lillard, contributed to an awesome logo that included a bird, so it stuck. We like to think the race isn’t always won by the fastest but by the Swifts.”

While it was a convenient location for the brandnew Swifts team, the 2008 Club XC Nationals couldn’t have taken place in worse conditions. The 6km race occurred at Plantes Ferry in the Spokane Valley in December—it was 21 degrees with continuous 30 mph winds. Based on the online calculator for the National Weather Service, the wind chill temperature hovered between 0 and -5 degrees Fahrenheit that day. In spite of the wickedly, cruel weather, the Swifts finished 11th out of 21 teams, only a few points from cracking into the national top ten. “[Swift Coach Sarah Ranson is] sort of like Tinkerbell in combat boots. She’s so sweet and petite and really fast, but she’s also really good at kicking some ass,” says Swift member Ali King.

“Sarah is also a bit of a hyper-taskmaster. She can go from being all sweet ‘Oh, how was your weekend?’ to ‘What the Hell, stop being such a wimp!”

Like Chris Morlan, Ranson is over-qualified to be the Swifts’ head coach. She was a member of the University of Missouri track and cross-country teams from 1991to1996. She holds numerous ALL Big 8 titles—from the 3,000m to 10,000m—and she was an NCAA qualifier in the 10,000m and Cross Country. And she was named an Athletic Academic All-American.

While pursuing a Master’s degree in Sport Management at Florida State University, Sarah was a graduate assistant coach for both the track and cross-country programs. Sarah has PRs of 2:51 marathon, 1:21 half marathon, 35:20 10k, and 16:52 5k.

Sarah placed her running career on hold for a few years when she and her husband grew their family with the addition of two boys. Now she is training hard again and looks forward to improving her marathon and half marathon records.

While running is simply a component of the triathlon, it’s often the most engaging aspect of the three-pillar sport. For sure, there is very little conversation whenever you’re swimming laps or riding bikes single-file. But training runs accommodate some reasonable conversation and feedback.

Also, running is perhaps the easiest component for triathletes to jive with other athletes.

Since 2003, the triathlon’s popularity has grown exponentially in the Inland Northwest due in part to Ironman Coeur d’Alene, as well as the successful development of multiple local triathlon clubs.

Eastern Washington and North Idaho are fortunate

their new team logo to include the sun since this represented a positive part of their outdoor training life. In addition, they considered all the time spent on the Centennial Trail. These influences inspired the idea of blazing a trail, which in turn lead to the creation of Team Blaze Spokane Triathlon Club.

“The Team Blaze members are genuine and family-oriented, and give back to the community,” says Scott Roy. “They support and inspire each other like a family. The club provides several training opportunities with weekly workouts year-round that include: coached swims, Bike Hub trainer rides, coached track workouts and practice triathlons. These workouts, plus a member kit [shirt, hat, bag, water bottle] and insurance are all included with membership.”

Team Blaze members are quick to share accolades about Scott, such as, “He’s the best.” “Man, that guy is awesome.” “He is everyone’s coach and

everyone’s biggest fan. I love that guy!”

On Team Blaze, Norma Meyers breaks any pre-conceived notions faster than they are conceived. As a competitor in her early 60s, Norma has qualified for the Boston Marathon and the Half Ironman World Championships. “Scott Roy has coached me for several years, beginning when I only was interested in maintaining some conditioning,” she says. “One of the outstanding qualities of Scott’s coaching is his emphasis on life balance. I have never missed an opportunity to enjoy my family and my friends. My goal is to maintain optimum health so that I can enjoy my life fully.

With Scott’s coaching I am constantly reaping the benefits of my training.”

From a narrow perspective, these three fitness teams merely attract athletes with like-minded interests and empower them to further that special interest. But their influence and reach extends to the greater Spokane community, and the results illustrate a strong pattern of running growth in Spokane.

Nate Kinghorn manages the Runner’s Soul store.

He serves runners day in and day out because he loves it, and because he, too, is a runner. This position enables him to keep his finger on the pulse of the Spokane running community, and he’s quick to acknowledge the Swifts and the SDP. “The running community in Spokane has a storied tradition, and these groups are another chapter in a book that won’t end anytime soon,” says Kinghorn.

“It’s hard to measurably gauge the monetary impact,” he says, when asked about the running groups’ collective impact, “but I know that it is significant through the members being customers first, as well as recommending [Runner’s Soul] to their beginning runner friends. These people know what it’s like to put all of their effort into not only the race itself but also all the training that leads

Windermere Marathon SPOKANE USA Saturday, May 19 2012

Expo on Friday Full Marathon – Post Falls to Riverfront Park Half Marathon – Mirabeau Park to Riverfront Park Duet-thlon – Couples Relay Friends and Family – 4 person relay Corporate Cup Post Race Party and Beer Garden

The Windermere Marathon supports low income and homeless families through the Windermere Foundation

www.windermeremarathon.com

March 2012

/ Out There Monthly

19

up to it—and they have a tremendous amount of respect for all who compete.”

In addition to supporting local businesses, the teams also support local races, often because many of the races are charitable benefits for nearand-dear causes. Of course, they participate in Bloomsday, the largest community race, but they also support the Monster Dash, Turkey Trot and Partners in Pain events. You might say they run with their feet and their hearts.

Within each team, the successful results continue to build. Setting goals and achieving them creates positive energy and momentum. Aspirations of winning one’s own age group becomes possible.

The dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon becomes achievable.

Some runners use the Spokane Swifts as a springboard to take one’s efforts and performance to the next level. For example, in the past year, Rachel Jaten qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and raced impressively at the 2012 Trials in Houston last January.

And Jeanne Armstrong used to wonder what it would take to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

She’s a small-business owner, wife and mother with a minor running addiction who hoped the Swifts would help her reach this goal.

Armstrong admits she felt a little intimidated joining the Swifts. “These are strong, successful women with full lives,” she says. “Yet they make time to help and encourage each other all while they pursue their own passion for running.”

Did she qualify for Boston? She says, “Well, first of all, speed workouts matter and make a difference. Secondly, [these speed workouts] cut my marathon time by seventeen minutes between seasons, and took 34 minutes off my first marathon.”

So, yes, she qualified and will be racing in the

2012 Boston Marathon this April.

Without a doubt, running teams are just one of many ways to improve one’s race times and get motivated to stay fit. But the aggressive workouts of a competitive team might not be the right match for some runners. For example, running clubs, such as the Flying Irish, provide a great social and encouraging atmosphere to help someone get moving and enjoy running or walking. While the Flying Irish is the most notorious Spokane running group, there are also the SoHi Runners and the Manito Running Club.

For those runners with pinpoint goals—such as a specific race finish time or difficult schedules— personal coaches provide an edge. While it costs more than joining a local running team, it’s often the best training supplement with the greatest rewards.

Personal running coaches challenge you differently, reduce workout boredom, help develop incremental achievements, and provide support and supervision, which also helps reduce injuries.

Best of all, personal coaching helps raise your accountability. After all, you’re really unlikely to skip a workout when you know you’re paying for it.

Perhaps the one benefit cited most frequently among runners from Team Blaze, SDP and the Swifts is the support and encouragement following a bad performance, or even worse, an injury.

There’s some truth to the old saying that there are only two kinds of runners in the world—those that have been injured and those that will be injured.

Sometimes, the remedy is just a few weeks rest or some corrective shoes. Other times, the remedy might be found through a little rehab with B&B Physical Therapy. Nevertheless, some injuries require months of recovery (or some new sources of confidence)—and that’s when the supportive

Chris Morlan of the Spokane Distance Project. // Photo Jon Jonckers. feedback from a teammate can be so critical, even uplifting. More than a brilliant PR, those moments often serve as the greatest testament to the team’s power, because so often the absence of running can be painful mentally and emotionally.

“People run for lots of reasons,” says Andy LeFriec. “Sometimes it’s about [getting] a flat stomach or fitting into some skinny jeans, and

sometimes it’s a little sibling rivalry. Maybe it’s just about lowering your marathon time. Nobody knows all of the reasons, but if you want to get fast, and you think you have what it takes, then definitely consider these teams. Pick the one that suits you, and be prepared for some really neat changes in your life.” //

A ski event benefiting 24 Hours for Hank and the Cystinosis Research Foundation

JOIN US :

MAY 27TH, 2012

26.2 13.1 5K

MARATHON // HALF MARATHON // 5K

Top Fundraiser will receive a day of

Cat skiing

courtesy of Selkirk Powder!

MARCH 30- 31, 2012

BOSTON QUALIFIER // CERTIFIED USATF COURSE // FOR ALL LEVELS OF RUNNERS + WALKERS // REGISTER AT :

CDAMARATHON.COM

SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT www.24hoursofschweitzer.com Brought to you by:

20

Out There Monthly / March 2012

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT NORTH IDAHO CENTENNIAL TRAIL

Photo of the Month

ROB & LYLA GRAY

Organic

Starter Feed for

Chicks

Proudly Stocking Scratch & Peck Feeds

An Urban Homestead and Natural Living Store Mon-Sat 10 to 6 | Closed Sun. SunPeopleDryGoods.com | 509.368.9378 | 32 W. 2nd Ave. PhotO: Rob & Lyla Gray Taken on the Pacific Crest Trail in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. The Goat Rocks feature is in the background. The photo was taken on August 10, 2011. Send your vertical, 3 meg. or less submission with caption to editor@outtheremonthly.com. Best photos entries will be picked for upcoming issues.

Roadtrip DJ: March Bradley Bleck In the age of cloud computing, why limit yourself to creating a road-trip mix when so much music is waiting to rain down from the heavens of Pandora? Pandora matches music to your selections based on 400 musical attributes. However, a quick click of the “thumbs down” button will banish any selections you dislike. Similarly, a “thumbs up” will lead to more favorably focused stations. Here are a few Pandora stations and some of what you can expect.

SMITHS RADIO Along with a healthy dose of Morrissey, expect some Cure, Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, and, perhaps unfortunately, Flock of Seagulls.

BILLY BRAGG RADIO Along with Billy, you’ll hear the Smiths and Morrissey, but also The Pogues, Yo La Tengo, T-Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, Wilco, and Woody Guthrie.

MODEST MOUSE RADIO Along with MM, you’ll get Broken Bells, Cake, John Frusciante, the Pixies, The Strokes, Rogue Wave and The Black Keys, which takes us to . . .

THE BLACK KEYS RADIO Along with music from the list’s namesake, you’ll get Dan Auerbach, The White Stripes, JJ Grey & Mofro, Guts, Jimi Hendrix and Ray Charles.

The only drawbacks, along with limited “skips” per hour, are your service coverage and data plan.

With less than a gigabyte of data monthly, you may go over your allotment. While there are ads, on one trip between Spokane and Seattle, the only audio ads heard occurred around Moses Lake and when I neared Seattle. Your mileage may vary. //

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FILL YOUR EArs With Packfiller.COM Spokane Cyclist Pat Bulger Cranks Up A Great Podcast / By Erika Prins How do you keep a podcast going—and growing—in Spokane? OTM recently sat down with Mr. Bulger.

OTM: When you meet someone for the first time and they ask you what you do for a living, what do you say?

Bulger: I guess, full time, I could say that I teach high school. I could also say that I own my own media company. I do race event announcing and podcasting and race promotion.

My friend, my wife and I just started a [promotion] company. It’s called 2G1D events. It’s two girls and one guy, except we thought “2G1G” was stupid and my wife says I’m a dude.

We’re going to be putting on events around the area—some trail runs and a duathalon. We’re also striving to do the first Gran Fondo in Spokane, which is basically Italian for “Big Ride.” It’s like a timed, supported tour, but it has competitive routes along the way. It’s really making a big craze around the country. There’s one in Vancouver that attracts thousands of riders. I’ve always been blown away that that hasn’t been done here.

OTM: You were a highly competitive racer in high school. Can you tell us a bit about your racing career and what the Spokane road racing scene was like in the 80s and 90s?

Bulger: There was a local cycling club here [called] Arrivee Cycling Club. They were really instrumental in making road cycling what it became, and [they] started what was then called the Washington Trust Cycling Classic. They also brought the ’84 and ’88 Olympic trials here.

I got involved in the junior cycling version of the cycling club—we had 50 or 60 kids on the team. It was great. And so that’s where I really took off. Over the winter, you were able to send in your résumé to the Olympic Training Center. I did that, and I went down there a couple of winters.

During my senior year of high school, I was chosen as a permanent resident down there. They chose six junior [racers]. We lived down there, and raced and trained like crazy. I was considered [a member of] the junior national team at the time and raced there for quite a while.

OTM: How has the sport of junior cycling changed since you were young?

Bulger: I don’t think there’s the support base.

The thing that really makes me crazy about road cycling is, many of the people you see compet-

ing are—take this as you will—successful white males.

Cycling wasn’t created, as a sport, to be a sport for the rich. These kids—I think it’s such a great sport for kids—but the equipment costs are so insane, and I just think that’s gotten out of hand.

What I always loved about it [was that] it was kind of a sport for the kids who fell between the cracks. The cross-country kind of kids, you know, who weren’t star athletes, weren’t football players but had gigantic lungs and hearts that could power themselves so well. I wish there was a way to make that happen. And we talk about that a lot on my show.

I have started a club at [the high school where I teach] and we’re trying to see what we can do. Kids who don’t have bikes—that’s our biggest problem, still.

OTM: How do we fix that?

Bulger: I can talk until I’m blue in the face, but it takes a little action on some people’s parts. And Mark told me that on the show: “Start a team then, you big weenie,” and so I did. We’ve got 20 kids at [the high school], one of which has a bike ready to race, but we’re getting something done. We’re trying to figure something out.

OTM: How important is it for kids to have a newer, carbon fiber bike for racing?

Bulger: The race bikes I had back in the ‘80s

Cycling wasn’t created to be a sport for the rich. I think it’s such a great sport for kids—but the equipment costs are so insane. were sub-20 pounds. They’re out there to be found right now. I had a teammate, two years ago, before he bought his bike, who started racing on his bike from the ‘80s. He kept up just fine and made the rest of us with carbon fiber look really bad.

The equipment has changed, but when you’re talking kids and you’re talking about people starting out in the sport it’s all in the legs. My dad used to say that all the time. It’s about the love of the

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Out There Monthly / March 2012

Voice at the finish line: PAt Calls a local race. // Photo courtesy of pat bulger.

sport, it’s not necessarily about what you have.

OTM: Tell me about your business partner.

Bulger: Mark [Hodgson] and I were teammates back on Arrivee in the ‘80s. About five years ago, I was announcing a race. I needed a second announcer. I was thinking, “Who of my friends knows the sport of cycling and triathlon, is funny and is available?” Mark was the first guy to pop into my mind. I hadn’t talked to him for a long time. I called and said, “Hey, are you interested in doing this?” and I could have sworn [that] before I hung up the phone, he was at my house. We’ve been doing it ever since.

OTM: What kind of events do you announce?

Bulger: The majority of it is running, multisport events, cycling races. A lot of triathlon events and some trail runs—and events such as the Windermere Marathon and things like that.

OTM: Who listens to your podcast—packfiller. com?

Bulger: For some reason, when we first started out, we had a gigantic amount of listeners in—this sounds really stupid, like a rock band, “You know, I’m really big in England right now—but we had a lot of UK listeners and I had no idea why. And a lot of Australian listeners. I guess if you put something up there, you never really know where it’s going to land. It’s now starting to dial in a lot more in the Northwest and California.

OTM: What’s the coolest interview you’ve done on your show?

Bulger:Andy Hampson, who was the winner of the Tour of Italy—the Giro d’Italia—was a cool one. First American winner. Steve Bower, a man who wore the yellow jersey in the Tour de France for a very long time. I just recently got done interviewing Todd Gogulski, who does the broadcasts for Versus and for Universal Sports, just to get that perspective of somebody who’s going there to the races on a regular basis.

OTM: What goes into making a podcast?

Bulger: I have a studio based out of my house.

It has taken many shapes and sizes, but it’s finally what I’d like to consider a full-on broadcasting studio. So Mark will just come over and—I’ll be honest—whoever’s turn it is has to bring a six-pack of beer and we’ll open a couple of those and sit back and drink and wax sentimental.

Recently, we’ve always ended the show with a rant of some sort. His will usually be more poetic, because he doubles as a lawyer, and mine will be a little bit more…immature.. // 2G1D Upcoming Events: Wednesday Night Trail Run Series: May 16-June 27; Off Road Duathlon: August 18; Spokane Gran Fondo: September 23rd More info : packfiller.com, 2G1DEvents.com, @packfiller on Twitter

WE’RE NOT LOOKING FOR LOCAL GUIDEBOOKS. WE’RE LOOKING FOR LOCAL GUIDES. In 2010, we rocked Boulder, Colorado. Last year, we hit Hood River, Oregon. This year...the destination is up to you. We're dropping into outdoor meccas across the states all spring in search of the perfect town. Is yours on the list? If it should be, let us know. We could descend upon it with everything from community outreach to an epic party, all focused on telling your unique story. Submit your town to localsonlyproject@nativeyewear.com by April 3, 2012.

This is your opportunity to represent. This is the Locals Only Project.

Get started at facebook.com/NativeEyewear.

/ NativeEyewear

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Out There Monthly / March 2012