Fall 2013 Women's Adventure Magazine

BOUNCE BACK STRONGER • GET FIT FOR WINTER • TRAIN FOR ALPINE ADVENTURE

FALL 2013

The Road Not Ridden

Afghanistan’s First Women’s Cycling Team

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GEAR ESSENTIALS

Trail Running Biking and Jogging Safety Muscle Recovery

Master Backpacking

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Rock Climbing Mountain Biking

THRIVE IN THE WILD™ $4.99 US $6.99 CAN V11N3

FALL 2013 Display Until November 1 womensadventuremagazine.com

Q&A With The Youngest AT Thru-Hiker Ever, Why Spend On Socks, Autumn In The Adirondacks

Contents

Mapping the Heart of a Warrior 46 Über athlete and stepmother extraordinaire Karen Lundgren balances suffering and skill. By Katherine Maguid

Gear

A former road bike racer gets a chance to ride with Afghanistan’s first women’s cycling team. By Jayme Moye

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Stay warm, hydrated, prepared for the cold, and more this fall. These essentials have you covered—in every sense of the word—when it comes to running, hiking, or biking in changing weather and under increasingly dark skies.

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The Road Not Ridden

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52 Skill Backpacking 10 Discuss Teen AT Hiking Machine 30 Camps SheJumps Alpine Finishing School 55 Sport Mountain Biking 11 Discuss Camp Stove Turned Gadget Charger 32 Beyond Ultra Endurance Mountain Biking 60 Mix It Up Winter Strength Training 12 Trends Recovery Gear 34 Beyond Lessons From The Vertical World 62 Sport Climbing 14 Tech Talk Thriving With Diabetes 36 Dream Job Surfboard Shaper 71 Marketplace 16 Tech Talk Staying Fit During Injury Recovery 38 Dream Job Polar Expedition Guide 73 Partnerships 18 Hotel Homebase Adirondack Mountains 39 Try This Train Travel 22 Trends Pilgrimages 42 I’m Proof Women Belong In Adventure Films 72 It’s Personal Seeing Red 23 Trends Ancestral Travel Cover: Shown riding her new mountain bike, Annagreta “Anni” Jacobson is 24 Trends Stay In Touch married to the founder of Otis Cycles, a company that produces soley handmade bikes. Photographer Dawn Kish says she and Anni love being outdoors 25 5 Ways Fall Foliage together. Plus, “Anni is one of my favorite people to photograph—just look at 26 Getaways The Case For Resorts that red hair!”

travel

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Made to Adventure

Mari Gray at the Cummings Monument Lookout on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

Wearing the Storm Logic Hooded Jacket, also available in men’s.

MADE TO TRAVEL THE STORM LOGIC SERIES ®

The Storm Logic is a perfectly packable lightweight jacket. It transforms into an adjustable neck pillow using a built-in stuff sack, and features an interior eight-pocket Travel System to keep you organized on the road.

Insulated with Primaloft® Sport and treated with a DWR, this travel-savvy jacket will keep you cozy wherever adventure takes you.

Converts to a travel pillow

© ExOfficio 2013

Visit exofficio.com/storm-logic to see the Travel Pocket System.

contributors

Jumping out of a plane 13,000 feet above New Zealand’s lush landscape ignited freelance writer DALIAH SINGER’S passion for adventure. Bungee jumping, spelunking, surfing, backcountry hut trips—she’ll try anything at least once. As an associate editor for Denver’s 5280 Magazine, Daliah stays closer to home covering culture, sports and outdoors, travel, food, and the Colorado experience. In her free time, she plays volleyball, reads, and daydreams about journeys to far-flung locales.

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EDITORIAL

PUBLISHER SUE SHEERIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JENNIFER C. OLSON Designers D. Kari Luraas, Sarah Chesnutt Web Director Susan Hayse Travel Editor Gigi Ragland Online Communications Manager Jennifer Davis-Flynn Copy Editor Mira Perrizo Contributing Writers Katherine Maguid, Jayme Moye, Casey Flynn, Chris Kassar, Stephanie Nitsch, Emily Harrington, Heather Hansman, Hilary Oliver, Fern Nita Kelly, Courtney Johnson, Erica Lineberry, Daliah Singer, Sara Johnson

ERICA LINEBERRY is a rock-climbing mama from Charlotte, North Carolina, who wants to write, inspire, and play outside. A free-spirited lover of adventure for as long as she can remember, Erica first tied into a rope back in 2006 and has been chasing natural highs on a mountaintop ever since. What Erica loves most about climbing is the feeling of accomplishment that comes from achieving personal goals on the rock, as well as the deep satisfaction and amazing memories that come from exploring creation with her family. Erica combines her love for nature, writing, climbing, and family into her blog, cragmama.com. Cragmama is an online resource dedicated to getting families outside, offering tips on everything from cold-weather camping with a toddler to the latest family-friendly gear reviews.

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Contributing Photographers Dawn Kish (cover), Hage Photo, Ken Teegardin, Johnathan Esper/Wildernesscapes Photography, Tina Fetten, Kitty Sheehan, Randall Perry Photography, Gigi Ragland, Martin Brown, Elias Butler, Emily Polar, Sunil Sharma, Emily Harrington, Kristoffer Erickson, Ralph Walkling, Lynsey Dyer,/Unicorn Picnic Productions, Claudia Lopez, Whit Richardson, Sarah Field, Shelley Brook, Trinity Ludwig, Berne Broudy, Colin Meagher, Michal Cervany, DeanBlottogray, Adam Moran, Dan Brayack, Manuela Eilert

SUBMISSIONS For contributor’s guidelines, visit www.womensadventuremagazine.com/contributors-guidelines Editorial queries or submissions should be sent to edit@staff.womensadventuremagazine.com Photo queries should be sent to design@womensadventuremagazine.com Women’s Adventure is always looking for new and innovative products for women. For consideration, please send non-returnable samples to 3005 Center Green Drive, Suite 225, Boulder, CO 80301

Key Accounts Julie Peirano

julie@womensadventuremagazine.com

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©2013 Brooks Sports, Inc.

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On the Web Click your way to adventure.

Contests Visit our website to win products from:

There have been some big changes at womensadventuremagazine.com. Along with rolling out a new logo, we’ve completely overhauled our website in order to improve your experience. Thanks to a fresh, clean design and a brand new layout, our new site is much easier to navigate. You’ll find the information you need and the stories you want right at your fingertips.

FORE RUNNER EVO Low profile, minimal trail running shoes with close-to-the-ground feel.

ACTIVIST Lightweight, packable sneakers with weather-resistant ripstop nylon uppers.

Y O U R PA S S I O N

Whether you’re a runner, hiker, biker, environmental advocate, or adventurous mom, we’ve got you covered. Our new activityspecific hubs feature the stories (and more of them than ever) that interest you.

advocate weeks

We’re partnering with our retailers to raise awareness and funds for local conservation efforts and environmental initiatives. For dates, locations and organizations, go to: onepercentfortheplanet.org/advocate.

Mountain Sports Flagstaff, AZ Flagstaff Biking Organization Flagstaffbiking.org

october 4-13

Quest Outdoors Louisville, KY Forecastle Foundation Forecastlefest.com/foundation

october 12-27

Whole Earth Provision Texas Audubon Texas tx.audubon.org

©2013 Wolverine World Wide, Inc. Official footwear licensee for Patagonia, Inc.

october 4-18

GEAR

Our detailed reviews of women’s-specific gear we’ve field-tested have been organized by category so that you can more easily find out about the gear you need to get active.

TRAVEL

Our travel section online has been reimagined to capture the spirit of the modern journeywoman. Stories and tips are organized by international and domestic destinations, plus we’re introducing new category called “Out There” for women who crave more exotic or remote experiences.

october 14-27

Planetshoes.com World Wildlife Fund worldwildlifefund.org

Pantone 425 (darker than the original)

H E A LT H

Good health requires a holistic approach, and that’s why we’ve divided our new health section into “Mind” and “Body” categories to help you achieve a lifestyle conducive to vitality and strength. Our new health section features tips from life coaches and wellness experts, muscle recovery and nutrition advice, plus recipes galore!

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for contest updates!

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WEATHER OR NOT. Extremes of temperature, terrain and duration create demands on the body and mind that can leave a trail runner stripped down to a most raw state of being. Built for athletes who simply call this state bliss, Patagonia’s Trail Running line is designed to disappear along with your sense of effort.

• Light Flyer Jacket – our lightest, most breathable windproof/waterproof shell with GORE-TEX® Active fabric lets you go further in a wider range of conditions • Thermal Flyer Shirt – durable merino wool/polyester blend wicks moisture and controls odor • Speedwork Tights – designed for cool- to cold-weather running with stretchy, wind-resistant double-knit fabric and soft, moisture-wicking polyester interior • Tsali 2.0 Trail Shoes – soft-flexing, neutral-cushioned design provides long-distance comfort and protection on varied terrain See it all at patagonia.com/trailrunning High above the tree line, trail running ambassador Krissy Moehl stays upright in fierce alpine wind on her way down the Ute Trail.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. FREDRIK MARMSATER © 2013 Patagonia, Inc.

From the Editor W

omen’s Adventure was due for a fresh look—we wanted to maintain an up-to-date image and give our logo a more modern feel that better communicates sporty femininity and, most of all, fun. So, with this issue, we’re debuting the shiny new logo and delivering more of the content you’ve expected and depended upon each season. The redesigned logo’s lightweight letters are purely aesthetic, though; Women’s Adventure will continue delivering heavy-hitting content for outdoorsy female athletes, active travelers, and nature enthusiasts.

Our website (womensadventuremagazine.com) got redesigned recently, too, and your feedback online so far has been super encouraging. Our aim was to offer a more user-friendly web experience: easy navigation in a clean and pretty package. So, head over and check it out. Then, let us know how we did! Stay in touch with your suggestions for anything else you’d like to see on our site or in these seasonal issues. We do this all for you, after all!

Now, back to our mission: inspiring, educating, and enabling adventurous women.

In this issue, you’ll discover ways to expand your comfort zone and up your skills. In the travel section, we discuss the latest travel trends and highlight some hot fall destinations for active adventures and leisurely leaf peeping alike, but we also make the case for resort stays and offer mobile app suggestions that make international excursions easier.

Plus, on page 42, read about a former road racer’s experience riding with women in Afghanistan, where female participation in cycling is just now becoming acceptable in local society—sort of.

Our feature well (page 46) includes the story of an extraordinary endurance athlete who’s pushing the limits of earthly exploration and supporting her stepson, Jordan Romero, to great heights, while this issue’s Beyond essays (page 32) illustrate the struggles and joys of pro athletes attempting unprecedented feats—and succeeding.

Some of the content in this issue proves that you’re not alone when it comes to menstrual mishaps and experiencing fear in the outdoors. But it also demonstrates why minor calamities are no reason to stay home. Starting on page 50, we show you how to master mountain biking, prepare for an extended backpacking trip, and build your stamina for winter sports. Learn to climb smarter and run safer, thrive with diabetes, and stay fit during injury recovery—all in this issue of Women’s Adventure magazine.

Happy trails!

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Photography: Gabe Rogel

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Location: Grand Tetons

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Athlete: Pip Hunt

marmot.com

The Women’s Grenoble Jacket Marmot Snowsports Collection featuring the New GORE-TEX® Pro Products WAM • XXXXX | 2013 7

PHOTO CREDIT Š HAGEPHOTO

Woman traveler explores the beach around Elephant Rock near the Three Sisters at Tongaporutu outside of Raglan, New Zealand. (Model: Agnes Hage)

w Discuss

A Mean Teen Hiking Machine An interview with 15-year-old Neva “Chipmunk” Warren, who is attempting to be the Appalachian Trail’s youngest thru hiker

By Jennifer C. Olson

Chipmunk seems pretty pleased after her 14-mile-hike to the entrance of Shenandoah National Park in June.

Tell us about yourself. I’m very enthusiastic about exercising and being outdoors. This is my second large adventure. My family went on a 3,800-mile bike ride that took four months, going up and down the East Coast. Since then, I’ve been interested in taking these big adventurers and finding new things in America to be excited about.

What did you think of that bike tour?

It introduced me to a lot of new and interesting ways of having fun. A lot of people my age are just sort of into the internet and staying home, hanging out with friends. But I think it’s really important to experience things that are different—even just a town over. You see a lot of neat people and how good they can be.

I’ve been doing BMX racing since I was four. We’ve been really bikeenthusiastic since then, and this bike trip was a tour to promote BMX. How did you prepare for the AT? I prepared rather badly, I found out.

I was training on a flat, paved bike trail at home in Florida for this. I was doing a training regimen I’d heard about from a friend that was what a former speed record holder had done. I only took one big hike trip before. My training has mostly been out on the trail, so I have to

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learn how to rock climb, hike from rock-to-rock. Also, I took a compass class before the hike, but it never really taught me what to do if you get lost.

Tell us more about your camping experience.

I’ve mostly been camping in shelters if I camp on the trail. I’ve only had to pitch my tent once on the AT. A virus was going around so I didn’t want to stay in the shelter with a bunch of other hikers. I got the virus anyway. It was terrible, but I got over it and was hiking in a few days!

Share a little about the logistics and timing of your thru hike.

I started April 1st. I did not take the approach trail up to Springer Mountain. I think I’m going to have to average about 15 miles a day to get to Mount Katahdin. I want to hit it by October, because I’m scared they’ll close it down for weather.

What’s your daily routine?

I wake up in the morning, and my mom brews coffee for my dad and heats water for oatmeal. We put chocolate chips in it—I have an insane sweet tooth. I put my hair in two braids to keep it out of my face.

Then, I turn on my SPOT device and start hiking.

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Discuss

What do your parents think of this?

They’re completely supportive. They were really enthusiastic when I told them about this trail. They aren’t pushing anything though. If I need anything, we go into town and we get it. It’s really, really nice to have a support team as great as them.

What do your friends think?

I’m sure they think I’m just insane.

The best response: I said, “I’m walking from Georgia to Maine,” and she said, “Wouldn’t it be faster if you just took a car?” I don’t think my friends really get what I’m doing.

I wanted to break the record at first but I realized that I really enjoy hiking. At this point in most teenagers’ lives, you lose a lot of self-esteem and confidence because of the pres-

sure in society on teens. I think it’s important to show what my body can do instead of what it looks like.

I am getting a little mountain wisdom and a little mountain crazy.

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This iconic spot on the Appalachian Trail is known as McAfee Knob.

Anything that made you a little apprehensive before you began?

When we were driving up [to Springer], my dad said, “Neva, I heard the ascension overall is equivalent to climbing Everest sixteen times.” But I’ve just been plugging along and haven’t taken the time to be nervous about it.

What would you say to women adventurers inspired by your hike?

The most important thing while hiking is to bring really yummy snacks.

Camp Cooking, Without Gas or Matches The BioLite CampStove Runs On Leaves or Twigs—and Charges Electronics

By Jennifer Davis-Flynn

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great little camp stove with a great story, this electrically ignited stove burns twigs, leaves, and other naturally occurring forest debris instead of gas, making it a cleaner and more environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional gas-powered stoves.

Plus, it charges your phone.

How does it work? First, you charge the unit at home via USB. Once charged, the simple press of a button will ignite the combustible fuel you’ve loaded in its barrel. The resulting heat is funneled into a thermoelectric generator, which, in turn, powers a fan that stokes the fire.

You have to keep filling the canister with fuel throughout the cooking process to maintain an even cooking temperature. But your efforts won’t go to waste. Any excess energy the generator turns out is stored in a battery that can be used

to charge your phone or any other device with a USB port. The fire burns cleaner than a campfire but still provides the romance of open flames.

Plus, the company’s vision extends way beyond the backpacking community. The BioLite founders are working to bring a larger version of the stove to Africa and India, places where a majority of the population does not have access to electricity but does cook over open fires.

BioLite’s HomeStove burns much cleaner than a traditional wood fire: producing 91 percent less carbon monoxide and 94 percent less smoke. It also uses significantly less fuel than a traditional cooking fire, meaning that people can save hours of time and energy collecting firewood. Users can also charge their mobile phones and LED lights, which is a huge plus for populations where cellular service is often available but electricity is not.

If you are climbing Everest or scaling a rock face, the BioLite CampStove is probably not for you. First of all, it’s heavy—about 2.5 pounds with the optional grill. Secondly, you must have access to combustible fuel; wet leaves are not ideal. Thirdly, water boils much slower than on a traditional gas stove, which could make a huge difference in frigid temps. In our side-by-side comparison with a JetBoil, the BioLite took nearly eight minutes to bring two cups of water to a boil. The JetBoil took less than two.

However, if you’re a weekend warrior, who just wants to hike in a few miles, enjoy some peace and quiet, and return to work on Monday, the BioLite is an ideal and efficient alternative to a gas-fueled stove. And, it’s lot more fun!

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w Trends

Recovery Gear

By Jennifer C. Olson

So you hydrate, follow a balanced diet, cross train, and occasionally stretch after workouts. But what if that’s not enough? Does your body need more TLC? Speed recovery and improve your performance—no matter your sport—with these tools that can help you help yourself toward an injury-free active lifestyle.

OOFOS OOriginal. These colorful sandals support every muscle in your tender, fatigued feet and cushion for an invigorating recovery experience after a long day outdoors. The patented footbed design incorporates a proprietary foam compound that absorbs 37 percent more energy than any EVA out there. We’re not numbers people but that seems to guarantee a rejuvenating recovery. $39.95; oofos.com

SKINS Women’s Compression 3/4 Tights. Pay no mind to what haters say about compression wear. We’re convinced it works. By promoting good circulation and supporting tired muscles, compression clothing speeds up muscle recovery. If nothing else, being squeezed into a pair of socks, calf sleeves, or tights feels incredible. $89.99; skins.net

Gaiam Trigger Point Massage Ball. Ongoing muscle tension is uncomfortable, sure. But it can also lead to injury. So work out those persistent and hard-to-reach knots with this six-inch PVC ball that helps you target particularly tight areas and stimulates circulation so your body can more efficiently heal itself. $12.98; gaiam.com

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Trends

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Moij 360 Massager. While massage offers pain relief and promotes muscle recovery, a weekly appointment gets costly. But, you can reap the benefits of massage daily by using a tool like this to roll out your muscle tightness and gradually eliminate knots. Make self-massage a daily habit and—we speak from experience—you’ll encounter fewer sports-related injuries and painful overuse complications. $49.95; gomoji.com

2XU Compression Arm Sleeves.

The tingly feeling that comes after pulling these sleeves up to your shoulders is a result of graduated compression encouraging circulation and supporting our weary arms. For post-gym recovery or after fast runs, these sleeves are an easy way to re-invigorate your muscles. During outdoor workouts, these sleeves double as arm warmers and offer UPF 50 coverage. $44.95; 2xu.com

LET IT SHINE Introducing our new

Blaze 2 Watt Micro Headlight This little light of ours boasts some mighty big features.

It’s compact and has longer run times than our original 2 Watt. With 139 lumens you will be visible both day and night. Available in chrome red, gloss black and in a pearlescent white set that includes our Superflash Turbo tail light.

And as always, 25% of our profits go to bicycle advocacy.

BLAZE 2WATT MICRO

Barefooters Classics. Slip-ons that aid recovery? Yep. A blend of cork and silicone in the soles of these walking shoes minimizes shock and massages sore feet. The shoes purportedly also strengthen and stretch ligaments to improve your performance and health in the long run (no pun intended). $100; mybarefooters.com

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w Tech Talk

Thriving with Diabetes Enrich your active life through self-study and balanced blood sugar

By Casey Flynn

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isa Seaman was at dinner with friends when someone suggested a ski under the full moon.

For Lisa, a professional photographer and former guide, an evening ski tour was no big deal. She grabbed her gear, enthused, and hit the trail.

Skiing into the mountains outside her Summit County, Colorado, home, though, she suddenly realized she hadn’t brought any food. Though inconsequential for many, for Lisa it was huge.

She has type 1 diabetes and no sugar can quickly turn dangerous.

For the 18 years since she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, Lisa has been studying her body and how it responds to varying levels of exercise, nutrition, and insulin. For all her outdoor pursuits—including a diabetes research and fundraising expedition to climb a 23,000-foot peak in Kyrgyzstan—Lisa plans and prepares diligently to control her blood glucose levels. But it was on a night ski in her own backyard that Lisa learned there is no such thing as a “no-big-deal” run.

Diabetes Difficulties for Athletes

Diabetes refers to a group of metabolic diseases that cause high levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, due to problems with insulin, a hormone that is important in the uptake of blood glucose into the cells of the body. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce insulin and it has to be taken externally. In people with type 2 diabetes, the body’s cells are resistant to the effects of insulin and the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance. Diet, exercise, medication, and supplemental insulin can all help someone with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar. Though 90 percent of people with diabetes in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes is more common among high-level athletes.

The biggest challenge for athletes with diabetes is the sudden changes in blood sugar that occur during activity. At rest, insulin engages with receptors on muscle cells to allow blood glucose to get into the cell. During exercise, other pathways into muscle cells open up, allowing more glucose in. Normally, the pancreas stops

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producing insulin to keep blood sugar levels from plummeting, but when insulin is being taken externally it becomes more difficult to manage.

Increased insulin can cause lows in blood sugar, which can lead to hypoglycemia, seizures, and unconsciousness.

“Fear of hypoglycemia is a big deal, especially when you change your exercise regimen,” says Carla Cox, Ph.D., registered dietician and certified diabetes educator. “If someone runs every day, she can adjust her insulin, know what to eat, and keep reasonable blood sugars. But if she increases the intensity, increases the duration, or starts riding a bike, the whole equation changes.”

Balancing Blood Glucose

The rapid and uncertain response of the body to new activities, durations, and intensities makes going slow and regularly monitoring blood sugar incredibly important. “The best thing you can do is arm yourself with a blood glucose meter,” says Sheri Colberg, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University and author of Diabetic Athlete’s Handbook. “You’re going to have to figure out what works just for you, because your body is not going to be the same as anyone else’s.”

This goes for people who are new to exercise as well as seasoned athletes who are adjusting their training regimen.

If you’re introducing exercise into your life to manage your diabetes, start with basic lifestyle activities, says Dr. Colberg. Begin with standing and walking more often, then introduce resistance training a few days a week, using your own body weight or bands. Resistance training increases the muscle storage of glycogen, an important form of energy storage, and reduces the amount of excess carbohydrates that turn to fat.

For more experienced athletes, who tend to have type 1 diabetes and use insulin, training regime changes should be approached cautiously and experimentally—the body’s responses may not always be intuitive. For example, high intensity activity, like that in interval training, stimulates the release of glucose-raising hormones that cause a spike in blood sugar. If the workout is short enough, you may finish with high blood

Diabetes In Athletes Type 1 diabetes is more common than type 2 diabetes in high-level athletes because type 2 diabetes is closely correlated with obesity. People with type 2 diabetes tend to be very overweight and inactive, so it is possible for competitive athletes who stop their sport and lead unhealthy lives to develop type 2 later in life.

glucose and need insulin. But be sure to take less than normal, since you’ll still be very sensitive to the insulin, Dr. Colberg says.

Planning Equals Thriving

Discipline and study empower athletes with diabetes. As Lisa has learned through experimentation, her body and metabolism work differently while kayaking than they do while rock climbing and therefore demand different approaches. She has developed her planning skills and powers of observation to notice and adjust what is critical.

One of those critical components is fueling the body. Be prepared to treat a blood sugar low at all times (you may not think you need to bring a snack while walking the dog after a one-hour run, but you do), and plan ahead when you can. “One challenge I see in people with type 1 diabetes is fear of fueling their body with carbohydrates,” says Dr. Cox. “So they end up treating lows but they don’t prevent the lows to start with.”

Plan your exercise around your insulin uptake.

Aim to exercise three or more hours after your last injection or right before midday and evening meals. At these times of day, your insulin levels are lower and closer to what they would be if you produced insulin naturally, says Dr. Colberg.

Insulin pumps, though more expensive than other methods of intake, offer the greatest degree of flexibility since levels can be adjusted on the fly.

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Tech Talk

Being active helps to keep your insulin needs low, which helps maintain your body’s insulin sensitivity and leads to better overall health. By becoming a master observer of yourself, not only will you be able to control your diabetes, you’ll thrive with it.

“Get out there, because the reward is always worth it,” says Lisa. “When you get back from an expedition or climb and you’ve had a good blood sugar day, it’s a success. You know that you’ve done all your hard work and it has paid off.”

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Community Joining a diabetic community brings invaluable benefits. People with a common mission and shared experiences form special bonds and offer support for those with questions that may be hard to find answers to. It also helps to work with diabetes educators and doctors that specialize in your area of need. Here are some resources for growing your community: • Mountains for Active Diabetics, facebook.com/groups/mountainmad • Suite D: OmniPod Diabetes Blog, suited.myomnipod.com • Insulindependence, insulindependence.org • Dr. Sheri Colberg’s website, shericolberg.com

what’s in your pack?

XEna sEriEs Women’s Backpacking / Mountaineering

PHOTO / ANDREW MAGUIRE

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w Tech Talk

Banish Your Inner Couch Potato

Stay Fit During Injury Recovery and Come Back Even Stronger

By Chris Kassar

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idelined by a sprained ankle, bum knee, or torn rotator cuff? Don’t fret or throw in the towel and spend the next six to eight weeks crashing on the couch catching up on Seinfeld re-runs and hideous daytime talk shows. Staying active during recovery will help you maintain your physical fitness, keep you sane, and help you heal more quickly—if done correctly. “It’s important to stay fit so that you don’t drop backward,” says Dr. Lynn Millar, PT/Ph.D., a 25-year professor at Winston-Salem State University and a College of American Sports Medicine fellow. “Movement helps increase circulation, which speeds healing, and, if you stay fit, you will respond to training more quickly once you get back to full health so you won’t have to completely start over.”

Read on for tips on staying fit and being safe during recuperation.

Consult your doc.

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Creating a team well versed in sports injuries, including a physical therapist, a chiropractor, and a trainer will help immensely. “There are a plethora of people in health and fitness who can work in conjunction with what your doctor has prescribed,” says Aycock, who works as the Group Fitness Coordinator and Instructor at Colorado Athletic Club, Boulder, Colorado. In addition, enlist help from your friends and family. Although you may not be able to do all the activities you used to do together, having a partner in the pool or the weight room who will back you morally and physically can make all the difference.

Create a plan.

With your team of health professionals and your personal support network, create a workout plan with a goal. “If you have a plan and timeframe in mind, you are more likely to stick with it, and this can also provide you with a little light at the end of the tunnel,” says Aycock. Dr. Millar suggests incorporating resistance training and finding an aerobic activity that you can still do without stressing the injured body part. “Most injuries don’t require you to completely rest your entire body.” By being creative, you can keep the rest of your body fit, improve the healing response, and boost your mood. “It’s important to recognize the psychological benefits of exercise. Active people

sleep better and are less irritable and more upbeat, so these are reasons enough to stay moving during the healing process,” explains Dr. Millar.

Embrace baby steps.

Recuperation will have ups and downs, good days and bad ones, and some setbacks. For this reason, it is a great opportunity to practice and hone your patience. “Rest is your ally right now, which can seem like a punishment for active folks, however it is a key component in your recovery,” says Aycock. Take each day as it comes and go easy on yourself. “People don’t want to rest because they fear losing fitness, but you need to strike a balance between staying active and what the body needs,” says Dr. Millar. “If not, then the tissues don’t heal, the healing process takes longer, and you could be out for longer.” Keeping a journal can help because you can see what is working and focus your mind. “Journaling is proactive and productive. By doing it, you’re creating your own path to recovery,” says Aycock.

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KEN TEEGARDIN

“This seems so obvious but you need to be an advocate for your own health,” says Melissa Aycock, a competitive athlete and personal trainer with 18 years of experience. When you leave your doctor’s office, it’s important to understand the extent of your injuries, parameters for rehabilitation, and what steps to take next. “Emphasize to your physician (especially if the doc doesn’t have a sports background or isn’t into sports) how important your recovery is so that you don’t just get a generic plan or receive a prescription without a follow-up plan.” Once you consult your doc and make a plan, you need to follow it. “If you ignore some of the basic things you’re told in an effort to stay active, it may not be as good for you as if you follow instructions,” says Dr. Millar. “So many people try to come back too quickly. It’s important to be active, but only when you are really ready. A trained professional can start you back in a progressive type of program that will adapt with the healing process.”

Surround yourself with support.

Tech Talk

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Stay motivated.

You know all those things on your to-do list that you’ve been putting off for months or years?

Well, now is the perfect time to get after them.

Aycock suggests making a list of things you want to accomplish during this time of healing that don’t have anything to do with the injury and recovery. “You just may develop new great habits to help you through a challenging life moment,” she says. This is a great time to focus on helping others, develop other areas of your life, and spend time with friends and family. It’s also a fantastic opportunity for introspection and self-evaluation.

“Many times, physical injuries are road maps to bigger ‘stuff ’ going on in our lives,” says Aycock.

“Injuries tell us something, remind us to take more care, and guide us to look beyond the physical self to what other life stressors we may be experiencing.”

Eat to heal.

It’s tempting to drown your sorrows in chips and ice cream, but an injured body needs better.

“Maintaining good nutrition can help speed recovery,” says Dr. Millar. “While less active, you may have to cut back on calories. But, more importantly, eat a balanced diet full of fruit, veggies, and protein—all important for helping tissue to heal.”

Denver 8.24 San Francisco 9.28

Come back stronger.

Hard to believe, but getting injured might be the ticket to making you a tougher and more robust athlete. “Your rehab program may have identified and attacked underlying weaknesses,” says Dr. Millar. “If you address these imbalances and remove the root causes, you can end up better off than you were before injury.” Learning new things about your body, breaking free from your normal workout routine, exploring new activities, and resting can have huge benefits. “Working with someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to injuries (especially your specific injury) is critical. You can definitely come out stronger and wiser because of it,” says Aycock.

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Hotel Homebase

The Adirondack Mountains, New York HOTEL HOMEBASE

New York’s Adirondack Mountains have attracted visitors seeking rejuvenation ever since its Forever Wild protected status of 1892. In the late nineteenth century, wealthy families would ‘vacate’ New York City and escape to the wilderness up north, thus coining the term “vacation.” Today, people still visit for the same curative reasons and, even more so, for the Adirondacks’ outdoor adventure opportunities. visitadirondacks.com

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Hotel Homebase

WHY VISIT

Happiness can be found in the simplest of things: a woodsy cabin concealed in the wilderness where you can retreat for a few days. A comfy chair cozied up to the glow of a fireplace; a warm mug of fragrant apple cider; or conversely, an energetic hike on rugged trails rimmed with thick forests painted in a swipe of red, gold, and orange during fall. Stay in the Adirondacks in northern New York and you will have that and more: quaint towns, mountains, and lakes that make up the largest park in the continental U.S., totaling six million acres and abounding with outdoor activities to amply revel in nature’s vibrant autumn display.

CULTURE The park offers more than a pristine wilderness setting to visitors. Abuzz with activity from the time of the Indian Wars to the Revolutionary War and on into the late nineteenth century, the huge expanse of land played a fascinating role in the history of the Northeast. Fort Ticonderoga, a major military outpost during the American Revolution, is still open today for visits and tours, while the tiny village of Lake Placid became world-renowned as the site of two Winter Olympic Games. The Adirondacks were established as a vacation destination during the Great Camps period, when wealthy New York society families, such as the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers, built magnificent lakeside homes designed to blend in with the natural environment.

You’ll discover that many lakes and ponds are complemented with their own town or village, which hosts a variety of museums and art districts. There are about 100 towns and villages in the Adirondacks, each exhibiting distinctive character and charm.

OUTDOOR SPORTS A hiking mecca with more than 2,000 miles of trails, the Adirondacks also offer opportunity for rock climbing, standup paddling, road and mountain biking, and kayaking. Fall weather still offers a chance to swim in the lakes on warmer days, so combining a hike or canoe trip and a swim is a good way to enjoy autumn’s natural beauty.

LANDSCAPE Adirondack Park spans 9,375 miles and contains the largest protected wilderness in the East, an area that is bigger than Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon, and the Great Smokies National Parks. Home to the source of the Hudson River, there are 3,000 lakes and ponds and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams. The High Peaks Wilderness Area, named after the 46 tallest mountains in the park, includes the highest point in the state, Mount Marcy at 5,343 feet. But it’s not necessary to climb the High Peaks to see the brilliant fall foliage display. Along paths and trails, birch, aspen, and maple trees provide a fiesta of color throughout fall. Evergreens fill in the gaps of the forested landscape, while the scent of balsam rewards hikers with a welcoming herbaceous aroma.

JOHNATHAN ESPER, WILDERNESSCAPES PHOTOGRAPHY

TEMPERATURE Expect classic fall weather with temperatures that range from the 60s to the 30s.

Rainy days are possible.

NEAREST AIRPORT Albany International Airport, New York; Burlington International Airport, Vermont.

Each is roughly two hours from Adirondack Park.

TAKE THE TRAIN Depart from New York City’s Penn Station via Amtrak and ride directly to Adirondack Park.

BY CAR Luckily, for many East Coast residents, the Adirondack Park is less than a day’s drive away.

By Gigi Ragland WAM • FALL | 2013 19

From the High Peaks to tree-lined lakes, our top picks for scenic fall retreats in the Adirondacks will satisfy both the most active and leisurely of leaf peepers.

LAKE PLACID GOLD EN A RROW L A KES I D E RES ORT

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he eco- and budget-conscious resort sits squarely in the heart of downtown Lake Placid. Directly across the street from this 166-room property is the Olympic Center; plus, the sports-driven town is designated as the Eastern Olympic Training Center. Want a perch next to a tranquil lake? Then look no farther, as the resort overlooks Mirror Lake and boasts a private white sand beach. Golden Arrow claimed the Audubon Society’s highest award for their earth-friendly measures, like buying locally grown organic food and wine and installing a green roof system that captures pollutants before they drain into the lake, that benefit not only the guests but the community, too. From $119; golden-arrow.com • Ask about the fall seasonal Eastern Mountain Sports Schools (emsexploration.com) guided adventure packages: kayaking, hiking, and rock climbing. golden-arrow.com/specials-packages • Complimentary canoes, kayaks, or rowboats are available for guests to ply the gentle waters of Mirror Lake. (No motor craft are allowed on the lake so you can splash around and practice your Olympic swimming skills, too.)

A Few Must-Try Activities Test Your Olympic Skills in Lake Placid. There are several ways you can enjoy the Olympic experience here. Besides the Olympic Sports Complex, Olympic Speed Skating Oval, Olympic Jumping Complex, and Olympic Center, you can visit the Adirondacks’ three ski areas for hiking and mountain biking: Belleayre Mountain, Gore Mountain, and Whiteface.

Road Bike Rides Near Chestertown • Three Lakes Ride: 32-mile scenic loop rolling tour of Loon, Schroon, and Brant Lakes. 820 feet gain. bikewarrenco.org/three-lakes-ride • Three Mountain Ride: 43-mile loop features more climbs for a more lung-buster day. 2,940 feet gain. bikewarrenco.org/ three-mountain-ride

Olympic Bobsled Experience Zoom along an Olympic course on a wheeled bobsled ride with a professional driver and brakeman at the helm. Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. whiteface.com

SUP Lessons or Guided Kayak Tours with Lake George Kayak Co. Ask for the über fit and fun guide Michelle Pollock for an SUP lesson or a kayaking tour on beautiful Lake George, located in the southern portion of the Adirondacks. lakegeorgekayak.com

Indoor Ice Skating at the Olympic Center Practice your gold medal–worthy moves on the ice, perfect for a rainy day. whiteface.com

Hike New York’s Highest Peak, Mt. Marcy, Near Keene Reaching the summit at 5,344 feet will be an all-day effort. The challenging 14.8-mile roundtrip hike rewards with splendid colorful views of the Adirondacks during fall. The smell of balsam will greet you along the trail. Want to bring the scent of ‘the Dacks’ home with you? Buy a balsam sachet pouch as a souvenir from one of the local shops.

Lake Placid Olympic Museum While you are in Lake Placid check out the Lake Placid Olympic Museum to discover more about the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics Games. whiteface.com Guided Day or Half-Day Bike Tour with Adirondack Bicycle Tours Road biking along the back roads of the Adirondacks will leave you wishing you had more time to explore the area. Local tour guide Mark Shackner designs tours that work for a range of skill levels and takes the time to show you a local’s perspective. adirondackbicycletours.com

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Get Wild On a River!

Want to learn more about the wild place you are visiting? Head to the Wild Center Museum in the town of Tupper Lake. Naturalists offer canoe trips from the center along the Raquette River every weekend through the first week of October. wildcenter.org

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GOLDEN ARROW LAKESIDE RESORT, TINA FETTEN, LAKE GEORGE KAYAK CO, COURTESY OF LAKE PLACID CVB/ROOST, COURTESY OF VISITADIRONDACKS.COM, KITTY SHEEHAN, DARTBROOK LODGE, RANDALL PERRY PHOTOGRAPHY

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CHESTERTOWN F ERN LOD GE B ED A ND BR E AK FAST

A KEENE DA RT BRO O K LO DGE COTTAGES

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he seven private Adirondack Great Camp–style cottages are darn near perfect. The attention to detail in the artfully furnished cottages is so authentic that you might think they were plucked from another era when more time was spent on the finer details like hand-carved woodwork, even though these cottages were built just a few years ago. All have private entrances and individual porches, kitchens with gleaming modern appliances, flatscreen TVs, wireless Internet and gas fireplaces. The slow-pace of small-town Keene is a great locale to rest and relax—but the town’s nickname “Home of the High Peaks” has been attracting avid hikers and mountaineers for over a century.

Dartbrook is a welcoming “home away from home” to park your backpack after a long day on the trails. From $175; dartbrooklodge.com • Every cottage provides a list of nearby recommended hikes, with directions.

• The Mountaineer, an outfitter in Keene Valley, is a good source for info on Adirondack hikes, guide services, and gear. mountaineer.com

first-class location sets the tone for a firstclass retreat. Set above private Friends Lake and located on a street called Fiddlehead Bay Road, the Fern Lodge exudes hospitality from all vantage points. The gracious lodge owners provide local hiking, biking, and water sports advice, as well as tasty breakfasts to get you going for the day’s outings. Each of the five luxurious bedrooms offers views of the lake and include chocolate truffles with the nightly turndown service. Plunk down on one of the lounge chairs arranged around the multi-tiered stone deck or wooden boat deck and watch the sunset On Golden Pond style; you might even hear a loon call out over the water as it swoops by. From $395; thefernlodge.com • Paddle on the lake with Fern Lodge’s complimentary kayaks and glimpse eagles perched in the treetops.

• Hop on board the owner’s historic boat for an evening tour around the lake.

Adirondack Special Events Adirondack Canoe Classic Annual 90-mile canoe race starts in Old Forge and ends in Saranac Lake. More than 500 competitors from all over the world converge in the Adirondacks in 250 canoes, kayaks, and guide boats in this race, which has been held every fall since 1983. The race follows routes traveled by the region’s early settlers.

September 6–8, 2013. saranaclake.com/ events/canoe-classic-90-miler Tour of the Adirondacks: Gran Fondo Bike Race Prospect Mountain in Lake George. Experience the challenge of the scenic Lake George Region at the 3rd Annual Tour of the Adirondacks in Lake George. Part of the 2013 Stan’s NoTubes Great American Cycling Series that also includes the Tour of the Battenkill and Tour of the Catskills.

September 14–15, 2013. touroftheadirondacks.com Women in the Woods: Retreat at Great Camp Sagamore An annual retreat includes hiking and canoeing for adventurous women (20-participant limit). Great Camp Sagamore at Raquette Lake, New York, features 27 National Historic Landmark buildings, and was the wilderness

estate of the Vanderbilt family from 1901–1954.

September 20-22, 2013. $299; greatcampsagamore.org Chicks with Picks: Rock Climbing Clinic in Keene Clinics five different levels of climbing abilities. October 4–7, 2013. $650 (includes equipment, clinics, and three dinners); chickswithpicks.net/ chicks-rock/girly-gatherings/adirondacks/

Oktoberfest at Whiteface Shake your groove thing to some good oldfashioned German folk music. October 5–6, 2013. whiteface.com/events/oktoberfest

Flaming Leaves Festival at Whiteface Two fun-filled days celebrating fall with tons of barbecue and blues bands. Tip: Plan on a trip up to the 120-meter ski jump for the best fall foliage views in the valley. October 12–13, 2013.

Did You Know?

Centuries ago, the Mohawk tribe nicknamed the Algonquin tribe Adirondack, which means “barkeaters.”

Best Outdoor Source Find trip planning information and beta on hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, and more at visitadirondacks.com/

what-to-do.

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travel

Travel Trends

Pilgrimages A Biking Pilgrim Sets Out Along El Camino De Santiago

By Gigi Ragland

I

n travel, sometimes we speak of the journey being greater than the destination of the trip. It’s what you experience along the way that brings a greater sense of overall satisfaction, rather than reaching the final place.

For example, a mountaineer can apply that concept to her trek in reaching a difficult summit as she moves from base camp to base camp; so can a cyclist pushing steadily while pedaling a difficult climb in a multi-stage race. Each step or rotation is just as important as the last, and they all have meaning in reaching the goal. Take that idea and apply it to the modern-day pilgrimage tour; then, you will discover how the journey is the true essence of the trip.

Pilgrimage tours are now offered by a range of outfitters and travel companies to accommodate a variety of interests and not just religious. A pilgrimage might be a tour to historic Civil War battlefields or perhaps a tour of favorite novelists’ homes in England. Plus, there are non-religious visits to traditional pilgrim sites like the one I will undertake via bicycle this fall in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain. El Camino de Santiago, which translates to “The Way of St. James,” is considered the most popular Christian pilgrimage trail route dating back to the Medieval Ages.

Admittedly, the romanticism of the European Middle Ages with castles and fortresses, lords and ladies, and dashing knights in shining armor have enchanted me since I was a small child. It all seemed much more of a storybook fantasy than a reality, then. Reading Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales in school was my first encounter with pilgrims. Chaucer’s collection of stories recounted the tales of villagers (pilgrims) making the journey to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket. I’ve been hooked ever since on the historical and cultural aspects of pilgrimages throughout the ages. In fact, the pilgrimage is claimed to be the first adventure travel trip. Easy to see why, when you consider that some people traveled from their homelands, crossing great distances over mountains and rivers, with little food and dependent on the kindness of the towns along the way for sustenance.

What is a Pilgrimage?

A pilgrimage is a quest to a sacred or secular place to fulfill a deeper spiritual or religious desire. Traditional pilgrimages involved an often arduous and long journey to a religious shrine as an act of devotion for believers seeking moral or spiritual aid. Most of the world’s major religions include some sort of pilgrimage in their history. Over the years, the concept of a pilgrimage has expanded to include non-religious reasons to visit places of historical, cultural, or religious significance that still hold special meaning to the pilgrim.

Since the 560-mile route’s origins in the tenth century, pilgrims still flock to El Camino de Santiago, now a World Heritage Site.

The travelers (pilgrims) hike and bike the ancient trail relying on the next town for the chance of food and lodging, much like pilgrims did more than a thousand years ago. I suspect I will not be the only nonreligious pilgrimage tourist cycling El Camino de Santiago. There will be others like me fascinated with experiencing the historical journey, open to the lessons and or epiphanies that each spin of the wheel from the Pyrenees to the great cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela will bring.

Follow Travel Editor Gigi Ragland On the Camino De Santiago The 15-day bike tour will cover a total distance of 558 miles, 30 to 68 miles of riding daily with ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours. Our small group will follow a twelfth century guidebook, with a few modern adjustments. You can follow my journey on Women’s Adventure magazine’s website this September.

I plan to share details of each leg with readers, relaying the nitty-gritty trail happenings with each post. You will discover the famous cathedrals, bridges, waypoints, Spanish tapas and wine, uphill climbs, and descents right along with me. Cheer me on toward completing my Pilgrim’s Passport, too, please!

To learn about Gigi’s tour with ExperiencePlus! visit experienceplus.com and type “Camino de Santiago” into the search bar.

Pilgrimage Tours Around the World JAPAN: Self-guided hiking pilgrimage tour of Kumano Kodo, an ancient 11th century route connecting Kyoto with the shrines of Kumano and the Kii Peninsula. okujapan.com

NEW MEXICO: Of the many pilgrimage tours you can plan on your own within the “Land of Enchantment,” the most popular is to the village of Chimayó, where a chapel has marked the site of miraculous healings since 1816. Tip: Road bike the High Road between Taos and Chimayó. elsantuariodechimayo.us/Pilgrim/index.html

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EXPERIENCEPLUS! BICYCLE TOURS

TIBET: An adventure expedition to the high plateaus of the Ngari region leading to Mount Kailash, considered the meeting place between Earth and Heaven. somajourneys.com

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Travel Trends

Did You Know?

Wales has more than 600 castles—more than any other country!

Definition of Genealogy Tourism/Ancestral Travel A niche in tourism that consists of travelers who have ancestral connections to their destination. These tourists travel to the land of their ancestors to reconnect with their family history and the places their ancestors inhabited.

Discovering My Roots

Experiencing New Places Through Genealogy Tourism and Ancestral Travel

By Gigi Ragland

GIGI RAGLAND

B

elow the castle walls, the valley rolls in great green lengths, like an unfolding carpet. Truly, it seems to be a magic carpet, linking the past with the present. I peer over the stony remains of the rampart and wonder if one of my early ancestors saw the same green valley as I am seeing now, only centuries ago when Raglan Castle was in its prime.

A year ago, I didn’t imagine I’d be standing atop a castle, bearing my father’s surname.

But curiosity got the better of me following my father’s death. I needed to know more about our family’s history: Where did the Ragland’s originate? In which country did they live? Who were my ancestors? My family knowledge was limited to just a few facts. My grandfather was born in Missouri and moved as a little boy in a covered wagon to Indian Territory (now the state of Oklahoma) during the Land Runs at the end of the 19th century when his family went to stake a claim for farmland. And, he was possibly of Irish or maybe Scottish descent. As I discovered in my initial genealogy research, only one of those two things was true.

Americans can claim heritage from around the world. We, as the saying goes, are a melting pot of other nations’ peoples. Many immigrants eventually settled into regions of the U.S. with qualities of their native homeland. Farmers headed to the fertile fields of the South and the Midwest, while entrepreneurs, laborers, and tradesmen made their way to urban areas, and so on. In my family’s case, our first American ancestor was kidnapped (or shanghaied) in 1670 with his cousin while out for a stroll along the docks of Bristol in England.

His future of becoming a Welsh noble gentleman was stolen from him when they brought him aboard the ship and forced him to work, then he was sold into indentured servitude in Virginia.

That’s not an uncommon story. Many Americans can trace descendants who were stolen from their homelands via slave ships from Africa or Europe as indentured servants.

Since my surname is a bit unique, my search was easier than it is for most people researching their genealogy. If your last name is Smith, Moore, Chen, Gonzalez, or Jabinsky, you might need to dig deeper and check a wide variety of sources for links to your family tree.

Ever since I was a girl, I thought Ragland was an Irish or Scottish name. As further proof, my father celebrated St. Patrick’s Day heartily. But I started with Ancestry.com and ended up tracing our family to a village in Wales. Not only did I learn that we were of Welsh descent, but also that there was an entire village and a castle with our name attached to them.

More than a hobby, genealogy is a travel trend, as ancestral travel or genealogy tourism steadily grows. Ancestry.com claims a membership of over two million worldwide. Plus, according to a 2012 poll conducted by the online genealogy service, four out of five Americans said they were interested in learning about their family trees.

The advent of TV shows like NBC’s hit Who Do You Think You Are? that features celebrities discovering their ancestral roots has bumped up the interest in genealogy tourism as well. Who knows? Maybe there really is something to the Six Degrees of Separation cliché.

I made the most of my visit to Wales. I reveled in the history of Raglan Castle, found we had a family crest, and signed the official ancestors book in the castle gift shop. I stayed at the Raglan Inn in Raglan village and enjoyed tea and a long visit with a newly discovered cousin and explored more of the blink-of-the-eye medieval village that was the missing link to my ancestry that I was so happy to find.

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Travel Trends

Ancestral Travel (continued) Get Started With Your Ancestral Search Start with a web search. I searched for web genealogy sites and found ancestry.com, which has access to billions of records. For a low monthly fee you can drill deep for all sorts of genealogical data.

Look through family memorabilia. Check family bibles, yearbooks, photo albums, and scrapbooks for information like military records and marriage or birth certificates.

Connect with local tourism offices. Many tourism bureaus now have branches specifically for genealogy tourism.

Research local churches, archives, or clubs. I researched the Raglan village historical group, which led me to my distant cousin.

Join a genealogical organization, such as the African American Genealogical Society or the Irish Genealogical Society International.

Find a tour operator that specializes in ancestral travel.

Having knowledgeable guides helped me learn more about the culture and history of Wales, which added even deeper perspective to this bucket list trip.

Gigi’s Favorite Outdoor Activities in Wales The beauty of the Welsh countryside was breathtakingly rugged and unspoiled, making it a wonderland for outdoor recreation. Exploring the wealth of options was just as exciting as visiting my family’s ancient stomping grounds … well, almost. visitwales.com

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Apps to Help you Stay Connected for Pennies or Less Gone are the days of SIM cards and pre-paid cell phones for leisure travelers abroad. Affordable calling is more possible than ever, thanks to smartphone apps. We researched a few lesser-known options and came up with this list of handy apps to help the adventure traveler stay in touch. Alternatives to the tried-and-true Skype and the newer Google Voice, these apps can significantly reduce your international texting and calling costs while traveling.

You are free to roam without getting stuck with roaming charges!

Viber Acts as a phone replacement.

• Text and call other Viber users as much as you want from anywhere with Wi-Fi. • Use your own mobile phone number and contact list.

• No advertisements and no battery drain.

Likes: It’s free and simple to use.

Dislikes: Gotta register your phone number to get the app and must use Wi-Fi or 3G to use Viber.

Viber works with iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows phone, Bada, and Mac and Windows desktop devices. Available at Google Play app store, iTunes app store, and the website. viber.com WhatsApp Used for cross-platform mobile messaging.

• No cost to text anywhere, including internationally, with other WhatsApp users.

• Able to group chat and send video, images, and voice notes.

• Automatically connects with your address book.

Likes: You don’t pay for SMS. All-inclusive features.

Dislikes: $0.99 to download onto smartphone. Regular data rates apply unless you’re connected to Wi-Fi. No calling feature.

WhatsApp works with iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows phone, and Nokia. Available at Google Play app store, iTunes app store, and the website. WhatsApp.com Plingm Acts as a low-cost calling service.

• Free to download. Users purchase calling credits via mobile phone.

• Call anywhere in the world for the same price per minute.

• HD quality calls to landlines or cellphones without connection fees.

Likes: Savings said to be 90 percent over operator rates.

Dislikes: Service can only be accessed through the internet via Wi-Fi or 3G. Plingm works with Android and iPhones. Available at Google Play app store and the iTunes app store and the website. plingm.com Tip: Unless you have an international data plan, turn off Data Roaming before you even depart for your destination abroad.

Tip: A good ol’ Wi-Fi finder can even up the frequency of your status updates or e-mails to friends back home, plus help you locate a place you can use one of these apps to make a call from a Wi-Fi hotspot.

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THE TYF GROUP/TYF.COM

Mountain biking: Considered some of the best mountain-biking trails in the UK, check out Cognation’s group of trail centers for beginner-to-advanced options in a maze of dirty bikin’ fun. cognation.co.uk Coasteering: Try an adventure sport founded in the Wales surf.

Hike on a coastal path to a cliff and jump off into the sea, then swim to the next cliff and repeat.

Helmets included! TYF.com Hiking: Walk the country from coast to coast on the stunning 870-mile Wales Coastal Path. walescoastpath.gov.uk Horseback Riding: Atop a fine Welsh pony, exploring the Swansea coast paths exhilarates. Half day and full day pony treks available. parc-le-breos.co.uk Kayaking: Half-day and full-day trips follow the coast near the pilgrimage village of St. David’s.

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5 Ways

5 Ways to

Explore Fall Foliage 4. Navigate A Mountain Pass GPS Hike from Aspen to Crested Butte, Colorado Aspiring mountaineers and hikers can relish the ultimate leaf-peeping adventure. You will be surrounded by a forest of golden aspens and scented pines on this 11-mile trek through the White River National Forest. The Limelight Hotel in Aspen offers their adventurous guests a special hiking package, which includes a map, a GPS messenger kit, and an assortment of organic and local snacks. A hotel shuttle delivers you to the trailhead and picks you up in Crested Butte. You navigate the journey over the pass. Then, after a few nights enjoying autumn mountain vistas at the Nordic Inn in Crested Butte, you will be whisked off via helicopter, plane, or car back to Aspen. limelighthotel.com 5. Zip Through Trees at 25 m.p.h.

Adventure Zipline Course at Boyne Mountain, Michigan Fly so fast that all you will see is a blaze of fall color—crimson, rust, amber, and gold—streaking the horizon as you blitz through the trees along the Boyne Mountain slopes on the three-hour zipline adventure tour. The thrilling tour includes 10 lines totaling 4,300 feet, with lines up to 50 feet high. boyne.com

MARTIN BROWN, SUNRISE INTERNATIONAL

1. Scramble Up A Tree With An Arborist Tree Climbing in Richmond, Virginia Show off your inner Tarzan and Jane, and swing from branch-to-branch through the forest on this two-hour outing with a professional arborist as your guide. That’s just one of the adventurous ways you can see colorful autumn leaves with a bird’s-eye view of the Richmond skyline and surrounding treetops. After gearing up into the safety equipment, big kids and little kids can clamber up vertical climbs, cross rope bridges through the maze of tree canopy, and swing way up high. The best time to go is early morning from late October to early November. riversideoutfitters.net 2. Tackle the Trail and Climb the Rocks Bike and Climb Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania Adventurous gals can explore the trails of the Laurel Highlands and wind through a brilliant array of fall foliage via mountain bike. Climbing options include Meadow Run and Bruner Climbing areas. But, for a full day of guided bliss that includes lunch and some splash time in the Yough River, check out the Wilderness Voyageurs combo mountain biking and rockclimbing excursion. wilderness-voyageurs.com 3. Canoe For A View Canoe the Classic Saint Croix River in Maine Paddle the Saint Croix, a Canadian Heritage River in eastern Maine, on a four-day or six-day fall canoe tour with Sunrise County Canoe Expeditions.

Crisp mornings give rise to amber sunshine reflecting on this scenic 100 mile-long waterway. Up your skills: Class I-II rapids make the Saint Croix perfect for guides to instruct adventurous gals on solo paddling and poling techniques. mainecanoe.com

If you are looking for a unique adventure — perhaps exploring vast glaciers in Chile or trekking to ancient ruins in Peru — www.adventure.travel is your guide for physical, cultural and nature-based adventure travel world-wide.

POWERED BY

All tours are operated by members of the global Adventure Travel Trade Association

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travel

Getaways

Tourist Trap The Case for Resorts

By Jennifer C. Olson

O

ne particularly melancholy Wednesday last winter, I booked a trip to sunny Sedona. My sweetheart and I picked an available weekend in March and reserved a room at Amara Resort, which promised a quiet, laid-back atmosphere and a retreat-like experience. For various reasons, we both craved an escape, so we spent the next couple months looking forward to the Ari-

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zona getaway—fantasizing about the warm weather, dry trails, and time together in the Southwest’s sun. We hoped to find rejuvenation at our creek-side inn, share amazement and awe while exploring a new place, and laugh with each other over drinks after epic days outside.

Our day of departure finally came and we climbed in the car for our road trip wearing summery

clothes and smiles, choosing classic rock music for the drive. Crossing into Arizona, we watched strange desert rock features become even stranger looking as we neared them, survived a close encounter with a weaving pickup truck in Navajo Nation, assembled (and successfully ate without making a mess) homemade Gyros on a bumpy highway, and stopped for an afternoon bike ride in

the alpine environment of Flagstaff before continuing south.

Sedona is more spread out than I expected and certainly more touristy.

Brent and I pulled into the north side of town and acknowledged it as a bustling destination, with pedestrians making commotion on the sidewalks and the town’s signature pink Jeeps populating the road. I

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travel

Getaways

AMARARESORT.COM, JENNIFER C. OLSON

had expected a dirtbag type of atmosphere, but this place feels more refined. Still, the surroundings do hint at the old Wild West and we looked in awe at the landscape—towering buttes, red cliffs, and rugged hills in every direction.

To the left was a sign for Amara Resort, where we’d be staying, but we kept driving and wound up at the Village of Oak Creek, where the Bell Rock trails are easily accessible and family-friendly. It’s here where we donned chamois, added air to our tires, and set out to discover Sedona’s famed mountain bike trails.

The breathtaking landscape and lovely sunshine felt more attractive to me than my bike did, though, so I turned back early and went for a hike with friends from the area.

Finally, it was time to enjoy chips and salsa with happy hour margs on an Uptown patio. I shouldn’t disclose too much info about secret stashes, but I will say that there is one café in Uptown Sedona with incredible happy hour deals. The four of us got a couple drinks each and an order of Bottomless Chips and Salsa for the group, ultimately paying only $6.50 per person plus tip for our two-hour hangout session on the popular patio. Was that a morally sound move? I’m not sure.

But taking advantage of happy hour left room in our budget for other things—like our stay at Amara.

The creek-side resort is thankfully away from the bustle of Uptown but still walking distance to anything in town and certainly riding distance from any number of the area’s trails. I loved that we could socialize in a festive setting but then take a short, very scenic walk down some pretty steep stairs and end up at our retreat. This place was a quiet sanctuary, a beautiful hideaway, a world where an outdoorsy couple could find romance.

Though we’re normally more of the camp-in-our-car sort, having a peaceful place to relax—whether sitting on the balcony with a drink or listening to live music in the courtyard—was pretty key to the success

Opposite page: Amara Resort (amararesort.com) sits by Oak Creek near Uptown Sedona.

This page: A hiker relaxes at Cathedral Rock.

of our weekend. I personally loved being able to shower after hiking and riding in the heat then getting a little dolled up for dinner. Plus, I think we both enjoyed the pool and hot tub with unobstructed views of the desert landscape.

Our second day in Sedona was a more typically touristy one, which began with brunch and a hike to Sanctuary Rock. It’s a pretty popular route, and—as I sometimes equate

popular with easy, at least when it comes to hiking in tourist towns— I wasn’t expecting anything too special. But the strenuous climb up surprised me and the views from the top were beyond spectacular. As I approached the ridge, a hiker already up there looked down at me and said, “Let’s see if you’ve been here before.” The actual gasp from my suddenly wide-open mouth when I glimpsed the scene on the other

side gave me away. “Nope, you’re a first-timer.”

The morning we left Sedona, Brent and I got some coffee and walked to the creek (so private that it felt like our very own creek). We leisurely followed it downstream, savoring the silence and delaying the end of our vacation. But the pace of that moment made an impression.

The slow life approach stuck, and we took the long way home.

WAM • FALL | 2013 27

aspir ELIAS BUTLER

Carla Olson snoozes in her tent while on a week-long backpacking trip in California’s King’s Canyon National Park. LeConte Canyon and the Sierra Nevada crest are pictured in the background. This campsite is along the Bishop Pass Trail leading from LeConte Canyon to South Lake.

PHOTO CREDIT

a Camps

Charming and Charging Ski Mountaineering with SheJumps Alpine Finishing School

By Stephanie Nitsch

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30 WAM • FALL | 2013

women come to the Alpine Finishing School with a range of experience. “I only have two years of experience in the backcountry,” said Polar, a veteran of the Alpine Finishing School. “I used to do a lot of resort riding, but now it’s mostly backcountry.” Regardless of experience, however, one common theme runs through them all, which Polar quickly illustrates: “I like fresh turns.”

Each day begins just after 7 a.m., when the morning’s unlimited rations of bacon and coffee are laid out for breakfast, and groggy morning conversations are perked up by classroom discussions of the lesson du jour. Topics range from rope-tying and self-arresting to route planning and efficient skinning. On day one, though, the objectives are focused on a critical subject that sets the tone for the remainder of the week: traveling across hidden, dangerous crevasses that span across the icefield.

“We talk about the way glaciers form and where you can expect to find one,” says Devine.

It’s only after this indoor discussion that the group straps on their gear and heads outside to apply their new skills in a real-life situation. “We work our way up so that everyone’s ready to take

that next step on the ice,” Devine continues.

“The majority of the girls don’t have much experience in glaciated terrain, and it can be unnerving when you don’t know what you’re standing on top of. It takes a lot of time and practice to get an eye for those kinds of features.”

With more than 5,000 vertical feet and indefinite acres of skiable slopes at the Selkirk Lodge, spotting those features can be tricky.

Though a majority of the hands-on exercises are practiced on low-angle terrain, the crevasses, along with couloirs and avalanche paths, are no less of a high consequence. “Everybody has a moment when they’re not sure they can do something. With each girl, that moment is different,” explains Devine. “But I’ll see them thinking things through, and eventually they always run with it.”

That was the case with one participant, who took charge and led the entire group down a run she’d never skied. “She seemed nervous at first,” says Devine, “but with [lead ACMG guide] Anne Keller behind her, she gave it a go. As we progressed down the run, her confidence was growing. We try to emphasize taking it one step at a time.”

womensadventuremagazine.com

EMILY POLAR

t’s late-April in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, and a dozen women are making some of the best powder turns of the season on the Albert Icefield. While spring skiing normally brings out hordes of post-season backcountry users, it’s guaranteed that these ladies won’t cross anyone’s tracks but their own. Their location is so remote, in fact, that it requires a helicopter ride just to access their accommodations at the Selkirk Lodge, east of Revelstoke.

It’s a scene that most heli-ski dream trips are made from, but, for these women, it’s also a setting that gives new meaning to “higher education.” Entering its third year this spring, the SheJumps Alpine Finishing School combines the luxuries of a ladies’ guided ski trip with the challenges of a backcountry clinic. Or, to summarize the course syllabus: to give female backcountry and big mountain athletes the confidence and skill to make informed, educated decisions when it comes to winter travel.

There’s no doubt that exploring beyond resort boundaries carries a bigger risk than riding in-bounds, but assistant ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) Alpine Finishing School ski guide Kate Devine acknowledges that many women, regardless of expertise, tend to leave those big backcountry decisions to the guys in their touring group. And, for these twelve women on this trip, it becomes clear that they’ve made the trek to Canada for more than just lateseason powder turns. “They don’t want someone else to make bad decisions on their behalf in the backcountry,” says Devine. “They want to feel more independent and build a platform for decision making.”

Independence and education are at the heart of all of SheJumps’ programs, but the Alpine Finishing School is the organization’s most technical and potentially nerve-racking outing. “It can be intimidating to sign up for a program like this because you don’t know where you’ll stack up among everyone else when you get there,” says Devine. “Women are less likely to be concerned about being slower, and this course makes it accessible for women to practice ski mountaineering in a comfortable environment.”

From Freeride World Tour skier Nat Segal to casual backcountry splitboarder Emily Polar,

Camps

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Ultimately, inspiration and encouragement run strong throughout the Alpine Finishing School—both on snow and off—and even the guides are quick to join in the fun. “The energy and enthusiasm is so high,” says Devine. “There’s so much laughter in a day with this group of girls.

They’re free to be themselves. And when you see how they act when there are no guys around, it’s really special.”

The Alpine Finishing School is open to advanced female skiers and splitboarders ages 18 and older. For additional information or a sample itinerary, visit shejumps.org. Spring 2014 dates TBD.

Like any backcountry expedition, unexpected circumstances often affect when and where the group travels. Thus, the course is designed to be flexible, adapting to the participants’ requests and dictated by changing weather conditions. “On the last day, the snow was really heavy and we were on unexplored terrain,” recalls Polar. “Some of the girls were leading the navigation, and we ended up on a steep tree section. We threw a snowball to check stability and see if it would slide, which it did. We took that data into consideration, along with the temperature and snowpack, and decided our safest route was riding down the section that just slid. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought about stopping there to check the snow on this steep slope.”

Back at the chalet, après ski kicks off in typical feast and fanfare, celebrating the day’s big conquests and adventures. Hearty snacks, refreshing libations, and long underwear dance parties are a common sight once the outerwear comes off. “Every night when we got back from a long day outside,” says Polar, “we’d change into cozy clothes, break out the bagged wine and tell stories about our lives, travels, and goals. The dance party on the last night was the highlight. It got a little crazy.”

But even during the down time and in the comforts of the lodge, conversation and activities are usually geared toward skiing. “We’d practice our rope skills inside the lodge and rappel down into the basement,” says Polar. Or, later in the night, “talk about bad crashes, powder days, and our alliance [as women skiers].”

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WAM • FALL | 2013 31

a Beyond

To The Extreme

Sonya Looney takes mountain biking to a whole new level

By Jayme Moye

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32 WAM • FALL | 2013

and 200 miles into the Yak Attack, a 10-day stage race deep in the Himalaya. She reminds herself that to quit would mean riding all the way back to Kathmandu. Alone. There are no roads in this remote section of Nepal, let alone a sag wagon to pick her up.

Sonya knows she needs to keep moving to avoid frostbite. She grits her teeth and takes a small step forward. The only way out is through, she tells herself. Her oxygen-deprived brain latches onto the words and replays them over and over, like a mantra. She narrows her eyes and begins to take one step for every repetition. The only way out is through.

When Sonya signed up for the 2012 Yak Attack, she knew what she was getting herself into.

In the race’s five years in existence, no woman had

completed all ten stages. Instead of dissuading her, the fact made the race irresistible. “When I read that, I knew I had to go,” she says. “For me, bike racing is about overcoming fear by doing things I thought were impossible.”

FINDING HER NICHE Endurance mountain biking—courses over 60 miles—have become increasingly popular in recent years. The sport has absolutely shattered the physical and mental limits that previously defined mountain bike racing. For cyclists looking for the new frontier, endurance mountain biking is it.

Sonya, now 30, hit the scene in 2009 after a lackluster five-year career racing cross-country.

She took 2nd in her first endurance race, the

womensadventuremagazine.com

SUNIL SHARMA

t’s 5:00 a.m. in Nepal and pitch black. Sonya Looney feels like she can’t take another step.

The professional mountain bike racer has been struggling to carry her bike up an impossibly steep, icy trail for an hour. Before her looms the 17,769-foot Thorong La Pass—the highest mountain biking trail on the planet. But all she can make out is the faint glow of another racer’s headlamp. Sonya’s labored breath comes out in audible gasps. She feels unsteady, almost drunk, her body and mind desperate for nutrients, water, sleep, and most of all, oxygen. She realizes she’s stopped moving. She can no longer feel her toes. She’s afraid.

In that moment, shivering and demoralized, a seemingly insurmountable task before her, Sonya contemplates quitting. The American is nine days

Beyond

overall, becoming the first female to complete the entire course. The win was particularly notable because it was Sonya’s first race in the developing world. Stage races in places like Nepal add a whole new level of discomfort to endurance mountain biking, from unusual foods (read: diarrhea) to nonexistent trail maintenance (read: dangerous) to substandard accommodations (read: filth). And, as Sonya learned on Thorong La Pass, there’s often no easy way out.

“Sonya is not the type of racer who is going to compete on the same course over and over again to see if she can do it 20 seconds faster,” says three-time World Champion Endurance Mountain Biker Rebecca Rusch. “For her, it’s about discovery, both of the world and of her own capabilities. The bike is her tool for exploration.”

FACING DOWN FEAR

Breckenridge 100, a grueling course that climbs 13,719 feet in 100 miles. Shortly after, she won her first stage race, the six-day Breck Epic, in the co-ed duo division with her then-boyfriend. The two were subsequently invited to Brazil to compete in the inaugural seven-day Brasil Ride, where they took 3rd. It was an impressive start.

“I felt like I’d finally found my niche,” Sonya says. “I love long rides—the adventure, the remoteness, being really far away from everything. It pushes me harder than anything ever has before.”

Sonya would go on to compete in some of the longest, most extreme endurance mountain biking events in the U.S., including the seven-day Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic in Pennsylvania. Her notable wins include the 100-mile Baily Hundo in Colorado (twice), the 125-mile Vapor Trail in Colorado, the 100-mile Pierre’s Hole in Wyoming, and the 90-mile Julian Death March in California. She was a member of the Marathon USA World Championship Team in 2010 and 2011, and is the three-time 24-Hour National Champion.

At the 2012 Yak Attack, Sonya not only made it up Thorong La Pass, she won the women’s race

In 2013, Sonya grappled with a different kind of fear when she registered for the inaugural Ayiti Ascent Stage Race in Haiti. She admits it was one race she nearly bailed on before even getting on the plane. “I was freaking out about security issues,” she says. “You just hear so many horrible things about Haiti on the news.” She stoked her courage by speaking with people who’d actually been there. They told her that the media blew Haiti’s danger risk out of proportion but that it was by no means a comfortable place.

Sonya continued to go back and forth over the decision. Much like Thorong La Pass, backing out of her commitment wasn’t so simple. She knew that the race directors—and Haiti’s fledgling Ministry of Tourism—were counting on her participation. “So many people worked so hard to make that race happen and start an adventure tourism economy in Haiti,” Sonya says. “They needed big name riders to show up. I didn’t want to let them down.”

Once again, Sonya decided that the only way out was through. In January, she got on her scheduled flight to Port-au-Prince. She was still afraid, but her risk ended up paying off. Sonya took 1st out of the 30 riders who braved the new event, and garnered international news coverage for Haiti as a mountain biking destination. “I’m better for having done it, but I’m still scared of

a

Haiti,” she says, “so I made sure to sign up for next year’s race, too.”

MAKING THE LIST Sonya doesn’t come from a family of boundarybreakers. She grew up in New Mexico, where her father worked as an engineer (and inspired her to pursue a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and Bio Instrumentation). Her mother stayed home with Sonya and her younger brother.

Sonya played soccer as a kid, then tennis in high school. She says her family was athletic, but not extreme—more recreational than competitive.

Over coffee in Boulder, where Sonya now lives, she tells me that her grandfather hiked the Grand Canyon when he was 70. Her nonchalance over the feat suggests that her definition of extreme may be a bit out of line with the rest of ours. When I make that observation, she cracks a wide smile and tucks a stray piece of her long dark hair behind one ear. “Maybe,” she says.

We don’t have much time to linger on the topic. After coffee, Sonya is off to Fruita to be filmed mountain biking for Elevation Outdoors magazine, and then headed to the Sea Otter Classic in California to run the booth for Ergon, where she works as Sales and Marketing Manager.

When she’s not traveling, she’s on the bike 10–15 hours a week training for her next big race, the Mongolia Bike Challenge in September.

For 2014, she’s considering the Trans Pyrenees, which she describes as completely wild and adventure-oriented. “It doesn’t even have race results,” she says, her brown eyes flashing. “The point is just to finish.” She found out about the Trans Pyrenees by Googling “hardest mountain biking races in the world,” and promptly added it to her ever-growing list of must-do endurance events. I can’t help but ask what else is on that list.

Sonya starts to answer, and then pauses.

She sets down her coffee and narrows her eyes.

“You know, you don’t have to travel to the Third World,” she says. “You don’t even have to ride a bike. You just need to overcome the things that make you uncomfortable, that make you afraid.

And that’s different for everyone.”

WAM • FALL | 2013 33

a Beyond

Lessons from the Vertical World How 24 hours on the side of a cliff taught this climber to embrace adventure and struggle

By Emily Harrington

T

34 WAM • FALL | 2013

womensadventuremagazine.com

EMILY HARRINGTON, KRISTOFFER ERICKSON

he moonlight cast an eerie glow on the rocky plateau we were navigating. I strained my eyes to see farther but couldn’t. I stumbled and tripped on a rock, slamming my shins into a boulder and almost face planting into the garden of jagged rocks that litter the landscape. I scanned the horizon, squinting and concentrating hard, as if that would help and cause the trail marker to just magically appear. Please, please let there be a cairn somewhere. Please.

I saw something moving in the distance—a shepherd sleeping among the rocks, maybe?—but it just turned out to be a misshapen rock. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so tired. It was 2 a.m., I was delirious, and we were desperately lost on top of a 3,000 foot cliff in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

Hazel and I had three main objectives on this ascent: to free climb the route, onsight, and in a single day. Free climbing is using only the rock to ascend the wall and placing protection (bolts fixed into the rock that we clip our carabiners and rope into) only in case of a fall and not to aid in the ascent.

The route is divided into sections, or “pitches,” that are no more than one rope-length long, with anchor points at the beginning and end of each pitch. The objective is to climb each pitch cleanly without falling or using the bolts for help.

“Onsight” means that we had never tried the route before or received any information about the route, aside from protection needed and relative difficulty.

We woke up at 3:30 a.m., forced down some food and caffeine, and hiked an hour and a half to the base of the route. We began climbing at 6 a.m., just

Beyond

after first light. The first half of the wall is characterized by difficult technical climbing—very few holds, spaced protection, and little room for error when it comes to balance and technique. We climbed slowly because we had no idea where the holds were, and the sequences were not obvious. Onsighting is amazing in that way because it is the ultimate unknown challenge—just a 2,800foot puzzle of rock before us.

We climbed the first seven pitches in about six hours, and the sun was baking on the wall right as we reached one of the hardest pitches.

My toes were already aching from standing on dime-sized edges while trying to decipher the proper method up the rock. My fingers felt tired from holding tight to small sharp edges and my forearms were full of lactic acid from the big gymnastic moves I was forced repeat for 1,000 feet. I could feel lethargy in my body and mind before I even started this section—the most difficult on the entire wall—but I tried pushing these feelings out of my mind and started climbing. I battled my way up, fighting desperately to stay on the wall but eventually slipping off in a zone where there seemed to be no holds. (There were holds; I just wasn’t finding them.) I let out a heartbroken scream followed by a few sobs. At this point, we weren’t even halfway and I could already feel my psyche fading and doubt creeping forward in my thoughts.

We climbed onto a steeper terrain, replacing less than vertical technical climbing with more physical overhanging sections of rock.

This was when our bodies began to

really fatigue. We finally reached one of the easiest of the sections. I was looking forward to moving quickly on easy terrain, motivated by the possibility of gaining some height and letting my mind and body rest for a bit. But I was so, so wrong.

This nearly 200-foot section had only three pieces of protection. The climbing was confusing. There were bushes and loose rocks intermingled among the solid stone, and I was nervous to pull on anything, afraid it might come loose and cause me to take a horrific fall and/or drop a massive block onto Hazel, belaying me below. I eventually forced myself to commit to the long distances and arrived at the belay on a massive ledge with my confidence shattered and nerves fried. I couldn’t think straight and was nearly in tears. We had 400 feet of hard climbing left and only one hour of daylight. For a few desperate minutes, I wanted to quit.

It was still my turn to climb first. Hazel offered to go first and I said no. There was only one way to regain my confidence. I focused and set off. I ignored the long distances between protection, committed to the small holds that had begun to feel like razor blades on my fingertips, and just kept moving up in the fading light. I reached the belay with a renewed attitude and psyche, but it was short lived. Now it was Hazel’s turn, dark and freezing cold.

I shivered and tried to be supportive as she quested up the next section in the dark. Three times the rock she was holding broke and she came flying off the wall—a fit of frustrating screams and cursing. The next pitch yet again did not let us take down our guards. This time, I was so cold I could barely move or talk.

I watched Hazel climb higher and higher without finding any protection or solid gear. I followed up, feeling shaky and desperately wanting to stand on horizontal ground after nearly 15 hours on the wall.

The rest was a bit of a foggy blur, but we finally did reach the top at 10:30 p.m.—16.5 hours after leaving the ground! Relief melted through me. Despite the fact that we

didn’t onsight, free climb every pitch on the wall, we gave it everything we had and we had reached the top—a summit, our consolation prize for not free climbing. At that point, not much else mattered; it was nearly 11 p.m. and we still had to hike back down. Our big day wasn’t over yet.

My headlamp flickered and died two hours into the descent. We’d managed to get lost in the dark, unable to find the cairn that identified the trail that would lead us safely down through the band of cliffs.

There was only one gully system that could take us down, while the rest petered out onto steep slopes that were loose and dangerous and eventually dropped off thousands of feet onto the valley below. We were exhausted from the climb, dehydrated, hungry, cold, and utterly disoriented in the dark. It was a bad combination.

Maybe we should sleep until it gets light, Hazel said weakly after I told her that my headlamp was dead. The moon was full that night though, which allowed me to see surprisingly far once my eyes adjusted. Let’s keep looking a little bit longer. I can still see. It was 1 a.m., and I was chilled.

We had no more food or water, and I knew I would not be able to stay warm enough to sleep up there.

I decided I’d rather walk around, slowly searching for the way down, instead of staying put and shivering until daylight. I no longer felt happy nor sad, just emotionally and physically spent, helpless, and numb to the situation.

As the hours progressed however, emotion returned and panic started to rise in my throat at the reality of our situation. Don’t freak out.

Total exhaustion is a dangerous mindset, because it means that one’s judgment and perception are impaired. Wandering around on top of a massive cliff in the dark in this state is perhaps even more risky than driving while sleep-deprived. I was beginning to realize this but unable to do anything about it.

We kept searching, slowly and carefully, and, eventually, we did find the proper way down and back

a

to the village. It was 4 a.m., more than 24 hours after we began our journey on Babel. I woke up the next morning with a deep ache in every muscle and joint in my body.

The skin on my fingertips was so tender I could barely dress myself without wincing, and my hands were so sore they wouldn’t close into a fist. I remember waking up with a feeling of elation in my chest, looking over at Hazel in the bed next to mine and seeing a massive grin on her face. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. What an adventure we had!

My experience with Hazel on Babel was filled with struggle and suffering. We failed in our main climbing objective to free climb the route, and yet the process brought both of us great joy. It made me realize something about myself that I hadn’t before—I climb because of that struggle. The definition of success doesn’t have to be completing the climb or winning the race or any tangible accomplishment; it is more about reaching that moment where we have nothing left to give. There’s a certain blissful exhaustion that comes with pushing oneself to the absolute max, feeling totally spent and empty.

I’ve learned that one of the most important skills in life is to embrace and appreciate struggles, because those are the moments when our true colors shine and when we’ve been stripped down to the rawness of who we are as people with no barriers or comforts to shield us. If we can find pleasure in those challenging moments, smile and embrace those epic times, and still remain faithful and true to our goals and our partners, we can be better human beings. Since learning this in Morocco, whenever I’ve suffered on a climb or in life—when I let myself get angry or upset at my situation because I’m tired and unmotivated to keep trying—I remind myself to keep trying. No matter the outcome, it’s always worth the struggle—simply because enduring that process is how we learn who we are and what we want to become.

WAM • FALL | 2013 35

a Dream Job meet

Whitney Lang Surfboard shaper and glasser

By Heather Hansman

Whitney “Windy” Lang isn’t your typical surfboard shaper. She grew up in North Dakota, not on the beaches of Southern California or Hawaii; she didn’t start surfing until she was eighteen; she taught herself to shape, and she works the boards through the whole process from picking the blanks to glassing, which is unusual. And, oh yeah, she’s one of the only female shapers in the game—99 percent of the surfboard manufacturing industry is dominated by men.

Whitney, who shapes boards in a converted garage under the moniker Windywind, is the 1 percent. There are a few female surfers who have shaped a board or two, but there are almost no full time female shapers. Shaping is equal parts science and art, but for some reason it’s remained a male-dominated craft. Lang is trying to change that. Frustrated by finding a board that fit her style of surfing, she decided that she would learn to shape boards herself. She turned to online forums, then found a shaping mentor in Huntington Beach, California. She tends to build graceful retro-style boards, like quad fin fishes, because she likes the fluid way surfers rode waves in the ’70s and ’80s.

She tests her wares, too. Whitney spends a lot of time in the water, at classic California beach breaks like Swamis and Trestles, making sure that the boards she shapes and glasses surf the way she wants them to.

Age: 23 Stomping Grounds: San Diego, California Job: Surfboard shaper and glasser, Windywind surfboards (surfwindy.com)

36 WAM • FALL | 2013

How did you get into surfboard shaping?

I was born in North Dakota, and moved to California six years ago, so I started surfing when I was eighteen. I had this board and it really didn’t work well for me. It was probably too big, and I got really frustrated. Then someone told me that you could shape your own boards, so I decided I needed to learn how to shape. I went on this site called Swaywatch, which is a forum, and became really addicted to it. I like the process of designing anything and trying it out, then coming back and being like, “I don’t like that,” and tweaking it.

How did you develop your skills?

Through the forum, I found someone who lived in Huntington, near where I used to live. His name is Ken Moore and he’s not well known, but he knows a ton about shaping.

When I approached him, he said, “I’ve never taught a girl before, but I’m willing to try.” He had kids of his own—he has a daughter my age—so I became a part of his family. I worked with him for two years. He fostered me in the craft; I learned a lot from him. I’ve had a few people teach me more, like a glasser named Gary Stuber, but I knew pretty much everything after I stopped working with Ken.

What do you like about making surfboards?

The highlight is riding my own craft that I made by hand, but I like the process. I’m creative and engineer-y.

I went to school for a science degree, in health and exercise science, but I like the creative stuff, too. I like that shaping uses your left and right brain.

I glass myself, too. Most people do one or the other, shaping or glassing. I think both sides of it are fun, and I like that I can make a board look the way I want it to without having to describe it to the laminator.

What’s frustrating about your job?

Women’s surfing is still not necessarily mainstream, and it’s not supported the way men’s surfing is.

On the professional level, the girls’ tour has half the events of the guys, and shaping is even worse. It’s all guys. Less than 1 percent of women work in surfboard manufacturing.

womensadventuremagazine.com

What happens next?

I still have another part-time job, but I’d like to get to the point where I have enough people ordering from me that I could do it full time.

There’s not that much money in it, but I think there’s enough to do it full time.

I love watching the undereighteen girls surf. They are just on the edge of being pro, and I’d love to shape a board for someone like that.

I think it’d be cool to teach someone to shape and not be intimidated. I still feel intimidated. I’d like to be an advocate for women shapers.

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How did you decide to go into business for yourself?

The industry has moved to CMC shaping machines because you can get a board popped out quickly. But some people still want hand-shaped

What’s your ideal board?

Mostly I shape short boards. Right now I ride a 5´7˝ squash tail, but I’m always tweaking my boards. One of my favorite boards just broke; whenever I have money I make another one.

your gear.

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Do people ever give you a hard time?

People are more surprised or disbelieving. I’ve been doing it since 2008, and now it seems like a younger generation is interested in shaping again. It’s becoming more widely accepted but still nowhere close to normal.

There’s a place in Oceanside called Surf Supplies, where I get blank stares, and at first they were kind of weird. They were like, “We never get girl clients.” But for the most part everyone is nice about it.

boards, which is what I do, so they started asking me to make boards.

I shape in a shaping bay in a room I rent out. It’s kind of dark so you can see all the contours, then I glass in my garage. Pretty much everyone who has started shaping has done it in the garage.

REHAB

Water

It’s totally an old boys club. A lot of guys don’t want to teach girls, and it’s kind of a passed-down craft. You can read about it, but it’s good to learn firsthand.

I also get frustrated by people whose hearts aren’t in it. Sometimes I read interviews with shapers who don’t surf. That doesn’t make sense to me. I love surfing and testing out my boards.

a

)

Dream Job

ro Fl uor o

a Dream Job meet Annie

Aggens

Director of Polar Expeditions with Polar Explorers

By Hilary Oliver Polar guide Annie Aggens is in love with the Arctic, and she wants you to fall in love with it, too. To educate people about climate change and inspire them to action, she founded an organization called ICECAPP that educates about changing polar conditions. When she’s not guiding in the polar regions or prepping for an expedition, she’s canoeing with her husband, Dirk, and their two daughters.

When did you first become interested in polar expeditions?

I had been guiding summer canoe trips in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and each year they kept getting farther and farther north. And the farther north I went, the more I kept falling in love with it. The tales of early Arctic explorers and their quests to be first to reach the poles had a natural pull on me.

How did you get into polar guiding?

I worked with school programs so I’d have summers off to guide in northern Canada. Eventually, I started working with Northwest Passage and Polar Explorers so I could lead trips during the polar seasons and do some logistical work and help prepare our team members in the interim.

What is a typical day on the job?

If I’m on the trail, it starts with pulling out the GPS to see where we are, because when you’re on the Arctic Ocean, you’re constantly drifting. Hopefully it’s not far, or you’ve drifted north, but sometimes you’ve moved five or six miles off course. Then I light up the stove to melt snow for breakfast and drinks and start getting people out of bed, which can be tough when it’s -40 degrees out. We break camp, and then we’re skiing or dog sledding for six to ten hours a day. Sometimes, especially in the Arctic, the day can pass really quickly, because the conditions are constantly changing and you have to look out for polar bears. But sometimes, on solid ground in Antarctica or Greenland, just putting one foot in front of the other can get downright boring. The

Age: 42 Stomping Ground: Wilmette, Illinois Job: Director of Polar Expeditions with Polar Explorers

38 WAM • FALL | 2013

evening is spent recouping and keeping up with camp maintenance.

When I’m not on expedition, a typical office day is mostly corresponding with people who are interested in registering for a trip, or have already registered, about things like gear, training, and diet. I’m also working on logistics for upcoming expeditions, maintaining our gear inventory, booking flights, and coordinating travel and menus.

What challenges you at work?

The logistics, like chartering air services, securing dogs for a dog sledding team or getting permitting for a trip. It’s difficult to plan when you don’t know exactly how many people will be on a team, which affects how much fuel and food you’ll need. It’s like putting together a masterpiece puzzle without all the pieces.

What inspires you on the job?

Almost every person we take on an expedition falls in love with the Antarctic or the Arctic. These

people develop a real love for this very extreme, very delicate place, and it’s so awesome to see them want to become advocates for the polar regions. Usually the people on our trips have been successful in their chosen careers because they’re driven and charismatic. When they go back home, they’ll be motivated to use their personality to share their experiences, and explain to their friends, families, and coworkers how the Arctic is changing and how their own actions affect it.

What have you learned from being one of the few women polar guides and explorers?

Don’t assume you can’t do something. Just go out there, take the challenges, and rise to the occasions, and you’ll be just as good as anyone else. We don’t always have the brute strength—especially upper body—of a lot of men, so I have to figure out different ways of maneuvering or problem solving. Female guides are often more creative.

womensadventuremagazine.com

Try This

a

Travel by Train

By Fern Nita Kelly

A

s the weather starts to change in the fall, many of us head for the outdoors in our vehicles to view the changing scenery. But why not try another tried-and-true mode of transportation? The train.

Sometimes when I picture train travel, I think of old black and white westerns or vagabonds jumping into boxcars. These images probably are the result of my interest in movies, but I have recently also developed a love for train travel.

The first reason: Traveling by train is just fun! There are some great day trips for newbies starting out in most major cities. These brief journeys are relatively inexpensive, which is especially important for those of us on a budget. These shorter trips are also relatively easy to plan, as train schedules tend to be less complicated to figure out than bus schedules.

Secondly, you will pass by things you might not have a chance to see otherwise. When I am driving my car, I’ve noticed, I miss many of the attractions. But as a passenger, you get to see everything. Many trains run parallel to rivers, oceans, and

other gorgeous sights, so—even on shorter trips—you get to see parts of your city or state you didn’t even know existed.

Third, for more adventurous types (and those with a bit more leeway in their budgets) it’s worth booking a longer trip and reserving a room on the train for your voyage. If you book a room, meals are included. When you are on an overnight train, you get to enjoy real food in a double-decker dining car. The dining room is on the second level with beautiful views, and your food is cooked to order on the first level. Best of all, you are seated with other travelers.

Unlike airports, where people are stressed and in a rush to get to their flights, you are sitting comfortably, munching leisurely, and having an unhurried conversation with fellow travelers. Plus, at an additional cost, you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer with your meal.

If you’re like me and love road trips, you will love train travel.

Look to see what train travel options are available in your town.

You won’t regret it.

Train Routes for You In case you don’t even know where to start when it comes to train travel, we’ve outlined a few popular routes available through Amtrak.

Each route may be carried by one host railroad depending on the region.

West of the Mississippi Empire Builder: Chicago to Seattle • Travels through St. Paul/Minneapolis, East Glacier Park, and Spokane • You’ll see parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Oregon Coast Starlight: Seattle to Los Angeles • Travels through Portland and San Francisco. With a train connection, you can go South to San Diego, California, or North to Vancouver BC • You’ll see parts of Washington, Oregon, and California East of the Mississippi Keystone Service: Pittsburg to New York • Travels through Harrisburg, Lancaster, and Philadelphia • You’ll see parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Empire Service: Toronto to New York • Travels through Niagara falls, Rochester, and Albany • You’ll see parts of Ontario and New York

do

• Start with a day trip and plan ahead. Trains run on very specific time schedules; you don’t want to miss a connection because you haven’t done your research. Train schedules also tend to change seasonally if there are sights that are season-specific, so it’s always best to follow up and triplecheck the schedule before you go.

• Bring a bag. As the temperatures are shifting this fall, you don’t want to be stuck somewhere without a jacket if the temperature drops suddenly.

• On longer trips, book early to get a room, a comfortable seat, and the connections you want. If you don’t book early you may have, shall we say, “interesting” connections via bus that might negate the leisurely feel of your voyage.

• Bring cash. Most trains don’t have ATMs. • Bring a good book, an MP3 player, a sketchbook, and a camera on long distance trips. You’ll want something to help you relax and to occupy your mind as you wind your way toward your destination.

don’t

• Assume anything about checked baggage. If you are taking more than one train, check to see what the baggage allowances are. Some trains don’t offer checked luggage services, and you’ll be stuck trying to figure out what to do with your bags.

• Take more than you can carry if you are traveling to stations you haven’t been through previously.

• Forget snacks. You’ll want to check food options if you have dietary restrictions. Trains get their supplies at stations along their routes, and the crew will not pick up vegan or other special options unless they have been specifically asked to do so.

WAM • FALL | 2013 39

a I’m Proof

I’m Proof That …

Women Belong in Adventure Films

By Courtney Johnson

Fun facts about Lynsey What scares you? Mean girls are my biggest fear.

If you weren’t making a living from skiing, what would you be doing? I’d love to be paid to be fit, but I’d make a living from living authentically through art, through creating a healthy community. So many of us are living the way we think that we should. We project it and Facebook about it, but the truth is underneath that image and it’s the scariest thing to follow that truth. If I could speak and act from that place all the time, and get paid for it, that’d be the greatest.

If you walked into a convenience store with a $1.50, what would you buy? Junior Mints Are you a physical book, newspaper, and magazine person or do you prefer a tablet/computer? I still like books.

I

“

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womensadventuremagazine.com

RALPH WALKLING, LYNSEYDYER.COM, UNICORN PICNIC PRODUCTIONS

Am Proof couldn’t be a more fitting title for this article,” said big mountain and freestyle skier and filmmaker Lynsey Dyer as we chatted over the phone while she was at her second home in Alaska (her main home is in Jackson Hole).

The 30 year old explains, “For a long time I believed in the stereotypes that many women do: that we aren’t as capable as men with weaker bodies and bones that aren’t strong enough.”

Overcoming those beliefs was difficult for Lynsey even as she made her name on the ski scene, winning a Junior Olympic Downhill medal, being named National Freeski Tour Champion, and often being the only female to star in big budget ski films. “I had to go into meditation and get really, really honest with my underlying beliefs and myself,” she said. “I found beliefs I didn’t even know were there. It’s sort of complicated but they existed in my physical body as places of tension or ‘stuckness’. With help, I went in there and listened to those beliefs—they were not pretty—and then worked with them to take on another perspective. It worked! This is what I consider modern-day magic ... changing reality from the inside out.”

I’m Proof

Understanding that she—with all her success—still struggled with mental blocks, Lynsey knew that other female athletes must have been going through the same thing. So, in 2006 she co-founded the internationally recognized organization SheJumps (SheJumps.org) with the goal of teaching women to think that “If she can do it, so can I.” With year-round programs from skiing to youth initiatives, the organization’s primary goal is to get female athletes of all ages and skill levels outside and pushing themselves beyond the stereotypes and self doubts. “It is a place for me to show girls that they have a place in the mountains where they can feel accepted and connected to the outdoors.”

And while Lynsey continued to be commonly featured in ski films across six continents, including being featured in the opening scene of Warren Miller’s Like There’s No Tomorrow, she continued to be fed up with the amount of amazing footage of talented female skiers that ended up on the cutting room floor.

In a male-driven consumer market, Lynsey said she couldn’t totally fault the industry. “No one has marketed well to women and no one has really pushed women to push it harder athletically,” she said.

But for the girl that personifies the “I can do anything I set my mind to” attitude, she couldn’t just walk away from the situation either. “Something needed to be done,” Lynsey said, about the time she started the production company Unicorn Picnic and began brainstorming about making an all-girl ski film. “It was time to show what girls are capable of in a way that hadn’t been done before.”

So, she began production on the crowdsourcing film Pretty Faces, a play-on-words titled film highlighting girls and women of all ages for their raw talent in the mountains and beauty on the inside. Set to be released in 2014, with webisodes available online this fall (unicornpicnic.com), the film will allow the phrase “skiing like a girl” to officially take on a new meaning. The film has three main goals with the first being a way to truly honor the women that paved the way for Lynsey and her counterparts on the snow. Lynsey wants to also make sure that Pretty Faces gives credit to the girls who are truly working hard out there and that it gives women well-deserved attention for their femininity by being strong and not their sexuality.

Lynsey encourages female athletes of all ages and abilities to demonstrate that they are proof, as well, by submitting for consideration in the film unique footage showcasing their passion: skiing.

“The film will highlight a lifetime of sport all through the generations,” she said. Through early

2014, athletes can contribute footage of themselves “shredding pretty faces with their pretty faces” and highlighting this part of mountain culture by heading to unicornpicnic.com.

While Lynsey has been able to showcase her talent on numerous ski mag covers, including as the first female on Freeskier highlighting her 70foot cliff jump, she says the lack of athletic female role models growing up was difficult. Every new project Lynsey takes on, every new route she skis, and her actions everyday illustrate her desire to

a

help youth choose the right lines to take, not just on the ski hill but also in life. “My intention is to provide an avenue that can evolve, a place where girls can go to find a role model.”

All proceeds for this non-profit film will help fund SheJumps. “We are capable of performing at a higher level than we think we can as women,” stated Lynsey. “Yes, we have to work harder and train harder than men, but that makes the reward even better.” The proof might just be behind all those pretty faces.

WAM • FALL | 2013 41

The Road

Mariam Sadeqi, 22, is the Afghan National Cycling Federation’s most experienced female cyclist.

42 WAM • FALL | 2013

womensadventuremagazine.com

Not Ridden

By Jayme Moye

A former road bike racer gets a chance to ride with Afghanistan’s first women’s cycling team.

A

t dinner in Kabul, my colleague Shannon Galpin pulls out her phone.

On the screen is a press release from the Taliban that she’d picked up on Twitter. It details what they are calling the spring offensive—a series of coordinated attacks around the country. The targets? “Foreign invaders.” That’s us.

To the Taliban, any American—a journalist like me, or even a humanitarian doing work in Afghanistan, like Shannon—is a foreign invader.

Listening to Shannon read the release from her phone, it’s hard to say what’s more difficult to digest: the fact that the Taliban use Twitter, or that we could be in mortal danger. I’m no war zone reporter; I’m an adventure travel and sports writer here to cover the first Afghan women’s cycling team with a small group of filmmakers and photographers. Besides Shannon, none of us have any experience in Afghanistan.

But we do have a groundbreaking story. Under Taliban control in the late ’90s, women weren’t permitted to go to school, let alone play sports. Even today, most Afghans disapprove of women doing activities outside the home, not to mention activities that require the obscene act of straddling a saddle. Afghanistan remains one of the worst places in the world to be a woman due to lack of human rights and targeted violence.

Against these seemingly insurmountable odds, 11 women currently ride with the Afghan National Cycling Federation. The team is the first and only of the country’s 12 bike racing clubs to allow women. Coach Mohammad Abdul Sediq taught his teenage daughter to ride to inspire other females to give the sport a try. He has the support of Afghanistan’s Olympic Committee, who is working to increase participation in sports in schools, for both boys and girls. In March, three of Sediq’s young female cyclists participated in a major international race—the 33rd Asian Cycling Championships in New Delhi. It marked the first time in history that Afghanistan fielded a women’s bike racing team.

For me, the story is particularly powerful. I was an amateur female bike racer in Colorado in 2008. During that time, some of my most significant personal growth occurred, from switching careers to ending a failing marriage. The bicycle has since become my catalyst for change. I decided to take this trip because I was inspired by the idea that the bike could also have a positive effect in Afghanistan— a place where women so desperately need change. But now that I’m in Kabul on the eve of the Taliban spring offensive, I realize I may have underestimated the risk.

CLAUDIA LOPEZ

**** We spend the next couple days interviewing the Afghan women cyclists in their homes. Meanwhile, the Taliban spring offensive ramps up. Schoolgirls are poisoned in the Takhar Province in the north. A hotel in the same neighborhood as ours in Kabul is raided, and an American woman staying there is raped. I experience firsthand what it’s like to live with fear on a daily basis. Each night, I pack a small getaway bag and sleep fully clothed, in case our hotel is invaded.

The day we interview Mariam, 22, one of the Afghan National Cycling Federation’s top riders, the local paper reports that, in the south, the Taliban

The women of the Afghan National Cycling Federation training on the highway north of Kabul.

WAM • FALL | 2013 43

The Road Not Ridden

Afghanistan remains one of the worst places in the world to be a woman due to lack of human rights and targeted violence. slaughtered dozens of people working in the fields. I expect the mood at Mariam’s house to be somber, but it’s not. She’s bright and animated, dressed in a Western-style pantsuit with the requisite hijab, or headscarf. I wonder if violence is so commonplace that it doesn’t affect her. Or maybe she doesn’t know—like Americans who don’t pay attention to the news because it’s “too depressing.”

During her interview, Mariam tells the story of the road bike crash that fractured her lower back. It happened earlier in the year on a training ride on a highway north of Kabul. A man on a moped pulled up beside her and verbally harassed her for riding. When she kept going, he rammed her with his moped. She tells the story matter-of-factly, as if being attacked for riding a bike is normal. I realize, as a female cyclist in Afghanistan, that’s exactly what it is—an everyday, ordinary risk. If you choose to be a woman athlete, violence and harassment are part of the deal.

The women of the Afghan Cycling Federation must cover themselves from head-to-toe while riding. Here, one member cycles with a hijab under her helmet, like always.

44 WAM • FALL | 2013

I put my head down and scribble into my notepad, hoping no one can tell that I’m rattled. As part of my story, I’m supposed to ride with Mariam and the team on the same highway where she was attacked. But after hearing about her assault, combined with the Taliban spring offensive, I’m no longer so psyched about the prospect.

One of the filmmakers asks Mariam if she is afraid to ride. I look up to see her reaction. Mariam smiles and says her attacker was put in prison.

Then she pauses, as if considering the question further. I feel like she’s looking straight at me when she says, “Riding a bike is not possible with fear.” **** I voice my concerns about riding to Shannon over dinner. I imagine that, to the Taliban, an American woman on a bike, blond ponytail flying, would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull. I’m torn. I want to ride, it’s a big part of what brought me to Afghanistan, but I’m afraid. And not just for myself. If the Taliban see me—a foreign invader—with the Afghan National Cycling Federation, it could put them at even greater risk.

Shannon agrees that riding would be risky, not just for me, but for the team. She doesn’t want to spoil my trip, but, at the same time, she knows how dangerous it is to piss off the Taliban. She suggests I sleep on it.

After a long night, I decide to leave my bicycle—which made the trip crammed in a bike box—at the hotel. On the morning of the training ride, I show up at a gas station on the outskirts of Kabul with a notepad and a pen, and watch six women of the Afghanistan National Cycling Federation prepare to ride. I’m distracted by the fact that we’re near gas pumps—it seems dangerous to be close to explosive fuel. I keep checking over my shoulder. For what exactly, I’m not sure. I feel like a chicken shit.

The women—girls, really, as most are in high school—don’t appear concerned. They’re amped up on adrenaline, just like my team was before a big ride. As they make their final gear checks, they giggle and tease each other. The language is different, but their tone is familiar from my days as a competitive cyclist. At the same time, their clothing gives away a cycling culture that American bike racers wouldn’t recognize. The women secure their helmets and sunglasses over a hijab. They wear full-length pants and long sleeves under their jerseys, no matter how warm the temperature. And despite these precautions, they risk inciting violence every time they ride.

I load into the follow bus with the coach, the filmmakers, and the photographer. As we trail the team, I notice that the road has recently been paved and in relatively good shape, with a wide shoulder for riding, which surprises me. It appears that the Afghan countryside, with its sweeping pasturelands set against the backdrop of the Hindu Kush Mountains, is actually a decent location for a road bike ride. The Afghan culture is another story.

The bus pulls over so that the videographer and photographer can jump out and position themselves on the side of the road to film the team pedaling by. I stay in the front-most seat, watching out the window for suspicious activity—cars that drive too slow, mopeds that get too close, leering men in beards and turbans. I observe several brightly painted semi

womensadventuremagazine.com

Local men watch a female cyclist as she trains on the highway between Kabul and Charikar.

trucks traveling past. They are ornate, with lavish murals, beads, and bells. Coach says that truck drivers decorate them as a source of pride. I’m surprised again. In my mind, Afghan men are not the type to lovingly adorn anything, let alone a truck.

After the team rides by, the film crew returns to the bus and the driver accelerates to catch back up. As we get closer, I notice that Selma, one of the younger riders, is way ahead of the rest of the pack, and riding in the middle of the lane. How’d she get so far off the front? Then I see it. She is getting a free ride, holding onto the back bumper of one of the brightly painted trucks.

Suddenly, Selma lets go and pedals furiously in the truck’s slipstream.

She must be going 30 mph. She rides as long as she can, probably 15

CLAUDIA LOPEZ

AFGHAN CYCLES The film Afghan Cycles is a joint project between Mountain 2 Mountain and Let Media. It offers an intimate look at the women of the Afghan National Cycling Federation, from their training rides to their homes, and documents everyday life in a male-dominated society. The film will debut in the spring of 2014. Follow its progress on Facebook (facebook.com/AfghanCycles) and Twitter (@AfghanCycles).

seconds, then re-grabs the bumper just before she starts to fade back. As she catches her breath, she pumps her fist in the air toward the truck driver’s rearview mirror. The driver sticks a thumbs-up out the window in return.

I know exactly what they’re doing—interval training, Afghan style. As we start to pass, Selma goes for another interval. I can’t help but cheer for her out the window. Watching her pedal at top speed, a giant grin on her face, I forget to worry about the Taliban.

An hour later, the women pull over and pile into the bus to join us for lunch. They’re sweaty and rambunctious. Selma dashes to the front in order to crank the radio volume. Bollywood pop blasts so loud that it cuts off all conversation. With the music, the women become even more energized.

They remove their helmets and headscarves and start to dance in their seats and in the aisle. They clap and sing and laugh and shout, twisting their arms and hips in the serpentine movements of a belly dancer. Suddenly, they are no longer the vanguard of change in post-Taliban Afghanistan—they’re simply teenagers enjoying life.

Selma notices that I’m the only one not moving and starts a chant, “Jayme, Jayme, Jayme.” I hesitate for a split-second and then slide out from my post against the window into the aisle. The women whoop. I throw my arms in the air and mimic their motions, swaying my hips in a figure eight and twirling my hands from the wrists. They shriek their approval.

Dancing in a bus somewhere between Kabul and Charikar, I stop feeling like a chicken shit. I realize it doesn’t matter that I didn’t ride. What matters is that they did. n Jayme Moye is an award-winning adventure writer and WAM’s former editor-atlarge. Read the ESPN story that brought her to Afghanistan at jaymemoye.com.

WAM • FALL | 2013 45 WAM • FALL | 2013 45

By Katherine Maguid

Über Athlete and Stepmother Extraordinaire Karen Lundgren Balances Suffering and Skill

MAPPING THE HEART OF A WARRIOR

The first thing you notice about Karen Lundgren is the sheer excitement and joy in her voice as she talks. She exudes passion and a love for life that is unmistakable and highly contagious. She is that woman who you can’t imagine not having as part of your inner circle of friends: the one person who makes you feel like you are capable of anything and everything.

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womensadventuremagazine.com

At one small village, Karen and her team pantomimed their request for some food that the villagers might be able to spare. The generosity in response made a lasting impression on Karen. “They ended up clearing out this whole place in their hut for us,” Karen says. “Then, they let us sleep inside for a couple of hours, fed us rice, and made us tea from some little plant they grew outside.”

This is the environment that Karen thrives in. Although each race is unique and unpredictable, every experience leaves an indelible imprint on her. It is how she experiences new cultures, sees the world, and deepens her relationship with her partner, Paul.

In the Beginning: How Karen Discovered AR

Above: Karen poses on Denali in 2010. Opposite page: Karen cruises ahead of other competitors in the 2011 Brasil Ride Mountain Bike Stage Race.

COURTESY OF KAREN LUNDGREN

And how could she not? After all, Karen has been adventure racing, alpine ski racing, and mountain bike racing for nearly 15 years. She, among other top achievements, recently won the expeditionlength Cowboy Tough Adventure Race (July 2013) and has won the Adventure Racing Qualifier Ecomotion several times, also finishing second in an Adventure Racing World Championship qualifier in South Africa.

A native of Big Bear, California, Karen regularly competes, wins, or places in the top finishers in some of the world’s most arduous and physically demanding adventure races.

When she’s not competing, Karen climbs mountains with her partner, Paul Romero, and her 16-year-old stepson, Jordan Romero. She was the 13th woman in the world to conquer the Seven Summits and the 8th American woman to summit the North Face of Mount Everest. Add the fact that Karen is an NCAA All-American and member of the U.S. National Team for alpine skiing, and you have a woman who is nothing short of inspiring.

Perhaps one of the best examples of Karen’s willingness to embrace a daunting challenge occurred at the Elf Authentic Adventure Race on the island of Samar, Philippines, back in 1999. After nearly 20 hours on a plane to reach Samar, followed by a 10-hour jeep ride along a harrowing coastal road, Karen’s adrenaline was already pumping and she hadn’t even begun to accomplish what she set out to do: compete in one of the longest and most difficult adventure races in the world—something that would take 11 days to complete.

Completing the Philippines course meant crossing the thickly forested island twice and following routes that trace both the western Samar Sea and the eastern Philippine Sea. By the time Karen completed the race, she had sailed 103 kilometers, canoed 30 kilometers, kayaked 225 kilometers, and climbed and hiked for 213 kilometers before reaching the final destination of Tacloban, Philippines. Her team earned second place.

“It was really wild country,” Karen remembers. “And all the people in the Philippines remember Americans from the war [World War II] and they loved us. They all called us, ‘GI Joe.’ They’d say, ‘Hey Joe! Hey Joe!’” Karen laughs as she recalls the enthusiastic reaction she and her teammates received by the locals.

“We talked with many locals,” Karen says. “They must have thought we were crazy—they had never seen people dressed the way we were before.

We had on our gear: trekking poles, map, and matching jerseys with race bibs. On top of that, we were dirty because we’d been out hiking and we smelled.” Karen pauses for a moment, and then continues. “They’d just never seen people like us before.”

“Some of these villages literally consist of three huts in the middle of the jungle,” Karen says. But it was the kindness and graciousness of the local people that made this particular race so memorable.

Karen’s career as an adventure racer began more out of an impulse than as a well-conceived plan. After attending an awards ceremony for a mountain bike race, Karen and a friend saw an advertisement for an adventure race.

They looked across the room, trying to figure out whom to ask to join their team. That’s when they spotted their mutual friend, Paul Romero.

“Let’s ask Paul!” Karen said.

She did, and the rest is history. Karen and Paul both lived in Big Bear, CA, and knew each other from work. She coached the ski race team and Paul worked as a ski patroller. After realizing how well they raced together, they went from being friends and teammates to kindling a romantic relationship.

Their next big race was the Eco Challenge in Morocco. Out of the nearly 70 teams that applied, Karen and Paul’s team was one of only 10 U.S. teams selected. They called themselves Team Epinephrine, because, Karen jokes, they didn’t really have a race résumé to submit. Plus, they’d actually made up the other two teammates listed on their application required to compete. Nevertheless, their fake team won the lottery.

Without hesitation and despite the fact that they only had about a month to pull together a full team and train, they enthusiastically agreed to race. Loving the challenge of the difficult course and the self-reliance necessary to traverse the arduous terrain, Karen and Paul became addicted to the sport.

Assumption of Risk: How Does Karen Know and Respect Her Limits?

Throughout the years, many people have died in a variety of accidents while participating in adventure racing. In 2004, a close friend of Karen’s, Nigel Aylott, was killed when a boulder rolled onto him during an orienteering section of Primal Quest. Other recent deaths include the June 2003 death of Dominique Robert, who was pinned underwater during a canoe section of the Raid Gauloises. Later, in February 2005, Eduardo Delgado Rosas died while attempting a one-kilometer swimming leg of the Extreme Adventure Hidalgo.

Karen accepts the inherent danger of adventure racing and believes that risk surrounds us every day. She embraces the aching bones, sore muscles, and near torturous physical conditions because her self-described favorite discipline is “suffering.” But she also assumes responsibility for her own safety and knows her physical limitations.

“I never go into a race thinking that my safety is the organizer’s responsibility. I never assume that, just because they’ve made this course, it’s

DEFINING AR

Adventure racing (AR) usually includes some combo of hiking or trail running (trekking), paddling, mountain biking, orienteering, and climbing or ropes. Teams can consist of two to five people and events can last a few hours or several days.

WAM • FALL | 2013 47

MAPPING THE HEART OF A WARRIOR

STEPMOM EXTRAORDINAIRE: Giving Her Stepson, Jordan Romero, “The Gift of Yes”

Paul and Karen haven’t limited their adventures to themselves: as often as possible, they include Paul’s 16-year-old son Jordan as well. They’ve helped Jordan achieve his own adventurous pursuits—and to inspire others. Karen became Jordan’s stepmother when he was three years old, and now he has become one of the youngest people to ever summit the Seven Summits as well as the highest peak in each of the fifty United States.

Jordan’s passion for climbing mountains began in elementary school when he first learned about the Seven Summits.

He did all of the research, figuring out the difficulty of each mountain, the order they should be climbed, and studying all of the potential routes. Karen and Paul drew on their knowledge of mountaineering to pass along the technical skills that continue to help Jordan achieve his goals. “We always said that we would never take Jordan to any mountain until he was one hundred percent ready to climb it,” Karen said. And once they did, it worked beautifully. “In the end,” Karen explained. “It was his idea, his motivation, and his drive to just keep going and finish.”

Today, Karen, Paul, and Jordan travel across the U.S. and climb mountains, encouraging local youths to join them.

They also give presentations at high schools where Jordan gives talks on goal setting. Mountain climbing has become Jordan’s favored analogy for describing how to set goals by breaking them into more manageable portions—something he learned from mountaineering, and probably thanks to Paul and Karen’s influence.

A few years ago a woman contacted Karen after learning about the experiences Karen and Paul have facilitated for Jordan. This woman was in the process of climbing the highest peaks in each of the 50 United States with her daughters, and she wrote in an e-mail, “I think it’s great that you’ve given Jordan ‘The Gift of Yes.’” For Karen, this was one of the most important affirmations she has ever received.

48 WAM • FALL | 2013

safe,” Karen explains to describe her pre-race thought process. “Everyone’s going to be out hiking or on bikes or boats but, in the end, you choose the route yourself. Sometimes you take a little path that goes through the bushes, and sometimes you take a fire road that goes the longer way around because it’s better for traveling and will ultimately be faster. It’s all these mental judgments you make during the race that make it so exciting.”

Simultaneously, Karen understands her body—and its capacity for suffering—extremely well. “You have to know your own limits. And you don’t push that,” she says.

After working on the organization end of an adventure race in Mexico a few years ago, Karen also learned more valuable lessons. “As an organizer, you can plan a course and try anticipating all the ways people might go,” says Karen. “You also can tell the participants ‘You can’t go this way because it’s dangerous.’ But, there is always the risk that someone will go a different way on the course.”

So, what are Karen’s limits and fears? After all, she has a family and loved ones, responsibilities and obligations. She manages to follow her passion for adventure and also temper her penchant for risk. But still, despite her daring spirit, one thing has always scared her: rivers.

“In a river, you don’t have control,” Karen confides. “An organizer might send you in a raft down a crazy river, and, if you jumped out of the boat into the raging water, you don’t have control. That’s a huge danger. And that’s the scariest part for me. I’m still getting more comfortable with it in races.”

In the end, Karen’s inner confidence comes down to her knowledge and training. “We’ve trekked into some dangerous places,” she says. “We’ve gotten lost here and there and had to climb up some crazy rock walls. But I know my skills. I know Paul’s skills. And I know my teammates’ skills. Have I have been in situations that I think are dangerous?” Karen poses. “Absolutely, yes. But is it controlled? Do I feel comfortable with it? Almost always.”

“It’s impossible to explain Karen’s toughness and stamina,” says teammate Mikael Lindnord. “To a ‘normal’ person, Karen wouldn’t even seem human because of how much she suffers through injuries during racing—injuries that would hospitalize the average person. She never quits, no matter how bad things look.”

The Importance of a Strong Team When you’re racing for days on end and completely dependent on one another, the true nature of a person quickly becomes evident. “The more you train with people, you better understand how they will react in tough situations,” Karen explains. “When it’s stressful and people are tired and something crazy is going on, you understand how people will react.”

And that, Karen says, is why you try to surround yourself with people who will be calm when things get chaotic. “There are people who we race with who sound like they’d be the best in the world to be on your team,” she explains. “On the surface, people can easily espouse values of teamwork and groupthink. But, when you’re adventure racing and you haven’t slept for three days, your life depends on your team. You’re out in the bush, you’re trying to navigate, and everything else gets stripped away. In the end, you’ll get to know your teammates better than every friend you’ve ever had.”

There’s absolutely no room for disingenuous people in adventure racing. “In adventure racing, you lose the ability to be fake with people because you don’t have the energy to be fake anymore.”

These elements—the ability to act genuinely and be compassionate and enthusiastically work as a collective unit—are seamlessly interwoven into every aspect of Karen’s life. “Training and adventure racing is not a job you have to go to,” Karen says. “It’s what you want to do. It’s what brings you pleasure and happiness. It’s supplementing my life rather than dictating it.”

Karen’s humility, fortitude, and technical skill are widely acknowledged by her teammates. According to Mikael, in addition to being recognized as being one of the best adventure racers in the history of the sport, Karen has a reputation for being “stable, tough, and not cocky.” Her ability to both give and receive help from teammates, excel at technical biking, and rise

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above the challenges of sleep deprivation make her a critical asset to her team.

“I knew Karen was a positive spirit,” says teammate Kyle Peter. “But I never expected to see her smiling at 2:00 a.m. in As a professional coach, many the pouring rain. Her natural people come to Karen asking relaxed state puts a smile both for AR training. Karen’s advice on her face and on the faces of is unusual for an endurance her teammates.” athlete: You have to find a way Karen enjoys and to incorporate your training excels at her sport for several into your lifestyle and find reasons: an instinctive your inner passion. Sports in competitive drive, her athletic general, though adventure skill set, and “her willingness racing in particular, are what to confront challenge with Karen loves to do. a smile,” Kyle says. “Karen is an ace when it comes to “When people ask me what I the technical aspects of the do for fun,” Karen says, “I tell sport. From a rocky, root-y, them that I ride my bike or I go singletrack climb to a slippery paddling. That’s fun for me. I descent, she sets a pace that pushes her male teammates to like to train with friends who be on point.” are both faster and slower Of all her male teamthan me. Either way, it’s the mates, of course Karen loves best kind of training.” competing with Paul the most.

“You either really love that By not treating her training person at the end [of the race] as a job, Karen finds that she or you can’t stand him because has better results. She listens you’ve gotten to know him so to her body instead of strictly well,” says Karen. “You truly get adhering to a rigid training to know the core of a person.” schedule, and is careful to give Since catching the herself a rest when she needs adventure-racing bug nearly it. This method allows her to fifteen years ago, Karen and build a proper base for her Paul have traveled the world adventure races and still love to participate in these events. every minute of it.

“We’ve been to Borneo, Argentina, the British Virgin Islands, China, Brazil—all over the place,” Karen says. “Adventure racing is my idea of a perfect vacation because you go to this foreign place, explore the backcountry, and discover the coolest places. You’re not in the city going to museums and finding a nice hotel—you’re out in the bush where the locals say, ‘I’ve heard about that place—I can’t believe you went there!’ It’s just an awesome way to see the country and to have more experiences the way a local would instead of just being a tourist.”

HOW DOES KAREN TRAIN?

COURTESY OF KAREN LUNDGREN

Reaping the Benefits In the fall of 2012, Karen’s team participated in the AR World Championships in France and covered nearly 650 kilometers of terrain. The arduous and technical course proved to be merciless but, because of the combined skills and teamwork of Karen and her team, they won second place.

Then, this past May, Karen’s team competed in Expedition Africa, a race that takes competitors through the South African Drakensberg Mountains up to elevations of nearly 10,000 feet. After crossing large mountain ranges, they found themselves standing at the top of Tugela Falls, the world’s second highest waterfall at 3,000 feet.

They marveled at the intense beauty of their location—the rugged and near prehistoric beauty of the mountain ranges and grassy veldts. They

Opposite page: Karen and Jordan at the summit of Denali in 2010. This page: Karen sports a muddy face during the Brasil Ride Mountain Bike Stage Race in 2011.

paddled through rapids and rivers that meandered and connected with lakes and then converged with other rivers, and they rode their bikes through game parks filled with zebras and giraffes. And this was during winter, when rain sometimes blew sideways into their faces and alternated with snow showers.

Karen raced Expedition Africa with a new combination of teammates: Kyle Peter, Garrett Bean, and Bob Miller. “I knew them all,” Karen says, “but I’d never raced with them before. We got along so well and raced well, and there was no drama. We just helped each other and made the best of the circumstances.”

And these were difficult circumstances, since the race lasted four days and six hours. Regardless of the rigor, Karen made her quintessential mark on her team.

“I didn’t know her very well before Africa,” says Kyle. “But I quickly felt like we had raced with each other for years. I think it’s because of her practice of truly putting her teammates’ needs in front of her own needs.

She is a joy—and she’s the toughest adventure racer I’ve ever raced with.”

The competition in Drakensberg was intense and, due to the weather, all of the teams were stuck in fog and making countless navigation errors.

In addition to the rugged terrain and dubious weather conditions, Karen contended with a critical injury.

“About halfway through a 161-kilometer bike ride on the third day,” Kyle says, “Karen’s upper back went into spasm. Even though Karen never complained, I could tell the pain was intense. I watched her wincing from it even though she kept pedaling away in order to maintain our narrow lead against another team we had just worked so hard to pass. We eventually got a chance to rest, and Garret gave her a back massage to help relieve the pain.”

By the time Karen’s team made it to the finish line, they were convinced that they had lost their standing. “We had been walking in circles,” Karen says. “And then we came to the finish line and everyone was cheering and celebrating!”

Convinced they had finished somewhere near the end, the team was shocked to learn that they placed second overall. Their emotions overwhelmed them as they stood hugging each other, on the verge of tears. Not surprisingly, their victory was well earned and borne of pure athletic talent, raw determination, and, most importantly, solid teamwork.

“Everyone was calm, and that made it so easy for us to work as a team,” she says. “We all had highs and lows in the race and, when I had a low moment, they helped me.”

Karen’s team recently won the Cowboy Tough adventure race in Wyoming and will compete in the AR World Championships in Costa Rica before long. “I want to keep doing what I love,” Karen says. “I think that’s what life is all about.” n

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Kristen Taylor rests after a mountain bike ride near Rico, Colorado.

PHOTO CREDIT WHIT RICHARDSON

Forests glisten golden yellow. Mountaintops burst with a carpet of red. Crisp air dominates the season and Pegasus, the winged horse, gallantly returns to the night sky. After a long, hot summer, we welcome this season of change and can’t think of a better way to celebrate autumn’s return than heading for the hills (or desert or forest) on a backpacking adventure.

Beyond the Day Hike

Motivation and Tips to Help You Master the Art of Backpacking Carrying everything you need over rugged terrain can challenge even the greatest nature lover. However, rewards reaped from immersing yourself in the wild far outweigh the effort. “Backpacking is the beautiful marriage of hiking and camping,” says Sarah Field, who spent a year hiking the length of South America with friends, Shelley Brook and Trinity Ludwig. “You can travel farther and explore deeper, and it gives you the peace and exhilaration of hiking yet allows time for meditation.”

Leaving behind phones, e-mail, and other distractions opens the door to a world where you experience true self-sufficiency, return to simplicity, and receive reminders about what is important. “When you strip away all the ‘first-world’ problems and comforts, your mind, body, and soul get a cleanse,” says Trinity, who is a “lightweight investment banker” with 16 years of backpacking experience.

But, backpacking well doesn’t just happen; it is both an art and a science that requires preparation, planning, and practice. Read on for secrets and tips sure to add a little sweetness to your time sleeping under the stars.

By Chris Kassar

Backpacking

m Backpacking

52 WAM • FALL | 2013

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Backpacking

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Basics to Remember Sleep like a log. Getting Z’s is critical to helping tired muscles recover and to keeping the happymeter high (nothing like a cranky, tired partner to ruin a day on the trail), so make sure you are comfortable and warm before you go to bed. “You aren’t going to get warmer and you aren’t going to get more comfortable,” says Trinity, who also guides exploratory backpacking expeditions in the vast, unprotected wildlands of northern Argentina. When you’ve stopped hiking for the day, evaluate your temperature, adjust accordingly, and allow yourself time to set up a thoughtful, comfortable campsite.

Grub well. Eating enough calories will keep you healthy and strong. This isn’t the time to diet, so bring a variety of foods you’ll actually want to eat; carry minimal packaging to cut weight; get creative; and think ahead. “Like everything with an expedition, it’s important to plan out meals and snacks and bring extra in case it takes you an additional day to get over some gnarly pass,” says Shelley, who works as a wilderness guide in Alaska. Pre-mix meals for ease in the backcountry (i.e. add powdered milk and spices to oatmeal) and don’t underestimate the power of a hot drink in the morning or spices and herbs for adding zest to any meal. But, don’t try this at home. “Trail food tastes exquisite—while on the trail. Just never try to make it at home or it will ruin the experience!” warns Sarah, formerly a backpacking counselor, who now works as a pastry chef while getting her Master’s in Nutrition.

Hydrate or die! Camelbak’s catch phrase sounds dramatic, but staying well-watered is imperative for a fun and safe trip. Dehydration-induced headaches and fatigue will put a damper on hiking plans and can cause severe illness if allowed to progress. “Understanding your route is critical in determining your water supply,” says Sarah.

“If you don’t have constant access, you should map out where water will be and how often you should fill up.”

There are countless methods for purifying water: Steripen, iodine, straight bleach, pumps.

“They all have benefits and disadvantages,” says Shelley. “What’s important is that you choose what works best for you and pick a method you will actually drink.”

Leave a note. Always have a plan. Tell people where you are going and for how long.

Avoid extreme dirtbagging. “There’s a common misconception that being out in the backcountry is just an excuse to let yourself go,” says Sarah.

“You can let your mind go, but it’s important to maintain decent hygiene.” This expert trio recommends making periodic bandana baths, washing hands before touching food, and keeping your feet clean, dry, and happy top priorities.

Think like goldilocks. Fickle fall weather makes this one tougher, but keeping your body temp “just right” saves a lot of time and energy in the long run. In fall, you have to plan for anything.

Bring layers and make adjustments immediately—before you sweat or get chilled. Stay dry by using your rain gear and lining your backpack.

Skills to Master The best backpackers are flexible, perseverant, positive, and prepared. They can adapt and make the most of any situation, and they are willing to push themselves beyond their comfort zones while still staying safe. Heading into the woods requires a multitude of skills—far too many to discuss here. The following are just a few considerations regarding skills that can help make a trip better and more enjoyable.

SARAH FIELD, SHELLEY BROOK, TRINITY LUDWIG

At night, sleeping naked or in base layers will actually let your sleeping bag work better and help you stay warmer. To prevent condensation and adding an extra layer of warmth, Sarah likes to zip up her rain jacket around the bottom of her sleeping bag.

Know which way is north. “In the U.S., there are so many trails and maps that you could enjoy days of safe exploration following easily laid out paths,” says Shelley. “But people get too tied down by staying on the ‘right path’ in life when really it just limits what you allow yourself to see and experience. It’s about the journey not the destination, so go off trail! You’ll feel like a kid, exploring again.” Regardless of whether you travel cross-country or stay on established routes, you should be confident in your ability to navigate using skills like map reading, terrain association, and triangulation. GPS units have a place, but don’t ever count solely on a piece of technology in the wild. Sarah recommends at least knowing the basics. “Know that the sun sets in the west and rises in the east and be able to find the North Star. Even if you are with someone who is a backpacking regular, you should be able to take care of yourself.”

Leave only footprints, take only pictures. We’ve all heard this one countless times, but who among us hasn’t encountered a tent pitched only a few feet from a creek or found trailside toilet paper, orange peels, or bar wrappers?

Leaving things how you found them— or better—is our duty as visitors in the wilderness. Trinity urges each of us to “Think, with every step, beautiful campsite, pristine mountain pond … How can I leave this place in the same condition I found it in?” Check out LNT.org to learn more about practicing the principles of Leave No Trace, which extend far beyond just picking up litter and scraps.

Burn, baby, burn. “Fires can save your life in an emergency or boost morale if needed,” says Shelley. Thus, knowing which wood will burn best, how to make a fire, and how to properly put one out are all critical skills for backcountry travel. However, they can have a big environmental effect so weigh the impacts, evaluate your need, and know the environment.

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m Backpacking Pitfalls to Avoid

Missing the View: “Avoid looking down all day. Remember to look up and enjoy what you’re walking through!”—Trinity Ludwig

Even the most seasoned backcountry travelers make mistakes. Heed this advice from Trinity, Shelley, and Sarah, who covered 1,800 miles on their journey up the spine of South America, and you might avoid falling prey to these common blunders.

Poor Partner Choice: “Finding someone that has the same goals and moves at the same pace is surprisingly difficult and can make or break a trip. Once you find that person or group, never let them go!”—Sarah Field

Bringing the Kitchen Sink: “This isn’t car camping and you don’t need your down booties or makeup. Rain jacket, yes. Banagrams, maybe. A third T-shirt, no!”—Shelley Brook Calling It Quits: “After a trying backpacking trip where it’s rainy or cold or the stove fails to work, people give up and don’t try again.

As with anything, there are difficult days, but it’s important to understand that, despite the trials and tribulations, there is so much beauty to be seen and so many memories to be made.”—Sarah Field

Constant Chatter: “Avoid filling every space with talking. People get nervous with too much silence.

Enjoy the serenity and stillness of nature. Listen to the river and the wind and watch the hawks chase the sparrows.”—Shelley Brook Learn more about the trio’s South American odyssey at: Going Out Woefully Unprepared: Venture out enough and you’ll see many eathikesleephike.blogspot.com. folks backpacking with inadequate equipment, inappropriate clothing, and a lack of basic wilderness training. This can lead to disastrous trips and dangerous consequences.

MUST HAVE GEAR

Backpacking Faves for This Fall

MSR Reactor 1.0L Stove System. A featherweight cooking system that is fast, fuel-efficient and won’t weigh you down over the long haul, the Reactor ($169.95) is now also available in bigger sizes. Add the MSR Coffee Press Kit, an etched, stainless steel strainer disc for maximum durability, easy cleaning, and a grinds-free cup of coffee. $19.95; msrgear.com 54 WAM • FALL | 2013

Arc’teryx Altra . Thoughtfully designed women’s specific fit, comfortable shoulder straps with custom fit and a Load Transfer Disc that pivots to increase agility and stability on rough terrain make this light yet tough pack rock.

Bonus features: large zipper pulls for glove-friendly access, numerous smartly designed pockets, and one hand axe attachment. Available in 62 or 72L sizes. $449–479; arcteryx.com Thermarest Antares 20 Bag & NeoAir XTherm Pad. Together, these two dynamos create a warm, light, extremely comfortable sleep system perfect for fall and beyond. The highly compressible Antares ($349.95) has stretchy straps to hold in place the Xtherm ($189.95), a four-season mattress that takes up less space than a water bottle—whoa! cascadedesigns.com

Vapur MicroFilter. This ultra lightweight military-grade filter and bottle system capably filters 99.9999% of bacteria out of even the nastiest of water sources, transforming muck into something super safe and tasty to drink. Chemical-free and only 2.7 ounces, the MicroFilter removes 99.9% of Giardia- and Cryptosporidium-causing microorganisms. $69.99; vapur.us Salomon Quest 4D GTX. The comfort of a running shoe built into a boot burly enough to take on the most rugged terrain and long days carrying a heavy pack. A Gore-Tex membrane keeps feet dry but breathes enough that feet don’t overheat and sweat.

Durable, lightweight, moves seamlessly across seasons. $230; salomon.com

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SARAH FIELD, SHELLEY BROOK, TRINITY LUDWIG

Brooks Range Mountaineering Foray. Autumn weather changes on a dime. Be prepared with this freestanding, spacious two-person shelter weighing only 2 pounds, 9 ounces. Fully taped seams keep water out, a mesh canopy provides ventilation, and the roomy vestibule easily protects packs and boots. $424.95; brooks-range.com

BERNE BROUDY, TREK BICYCLES

By Jennifer C. Olson

Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking

Riding season isn’t over yet! Get out for some fall leaf-peeping cruises and start planning your mountain biking trips and races for next year!

3 Priceless Skills Kelli Emmett suggests practicing these key skills, whether you’re just getting started in mountain biking or looking to improve.

1. Look ahead.

Scan the trail about 20 feet ahead.

“It seems like a lot,” Kelli admits. “You have great peripheral vision so you can see these things coming at you.” The faster you go, the farther ahead you should look. The slower you go, the closer you can bring in how far ahead you look.

Looking through the corners is really important too. “A lot of times, people want to drop their heads and look at the apex of the corner,” Kelli says. “That will stop your forward momentum.” If you look through the exit, you’ll be carried through the corner.

“Mountain biking is a super dynamic sport, constantly changing,” Kelli explains, admitting that she used to get frustrated, tired of getting dropped in the corners. Remind yourself to stay aware, she suggests. “I say in my head, ‘Look up. Look up. Look out of the corner. Look ahead!’ Even when I’m racing, I’m continually telling myself that.”

2. Think about body positioning.

Be centered over the bike in a relaxed position. “People hear they should get their butt off the back of the bike,” Kelli says. “It’s a misunderstanding. A lot of times, if you get your butt way back and your weight really far back, your arms are fully extended and there’s no room for error. So, you lose control and end up falling to the side.” Instead, make sure your weight is centered over the bottom bracket.

Keep a bend in your arm, so you’ll have more suspension to take on what’s coming at you than if your arms are

locked. “If you’re body’s tense, you’re not able to absorb what’s coming on the trail,” Kelli says. “I like to make sure that people’s arms are bent and relaxed.”

A proper bike fit will help get you into the right posture so you aren’t compensating for a poor position on the bike. “I’ve seen women in positions that look so uncomfortable,” Kelli says, “and I think, ‘No wonder you don’t want to ride this thing!’” With a proper fit, it’ll be easier to bend your elbows and sit on the bike.

3. Have foot awareness.

Paying attention to your feet placement makes the bike feel more stable, easier to lean. “We women are pretty one-side dominant,” Kelli explains.

“When I started, I could turn really well to the left but not really well to the right. I was stuck in this position. My coach told me to really focus on putting my outside foot down. It’s one of the best skills I’ve mastered recently.”

The sharper the corner, the more you want your outside pedal in the 6 o’clock position—if there’s not time, then 5 o’clock or 7 o’clock. “A lot people like keeping their pedals at 3 and 9 o’clock,” Kelli notes. “They don’t always move their feet when they’re going around corners and don’t use their feet to lean the bike.”

When you’re cornering, make sure the outside pedal is down and put your weight into that pedal. “If you’re racing,” Kelli says, “you’re always trying to corner faster, come out of corners quicker, and keep up your momentum. Good footwork can improve your speed.”

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Georgia Gould, aside from being a World Champion mountain biker and Olympic medalist, is a top advocate for women in cycling.

Lea Davison has earned top spots as a National Champion, a 2012 Olympian, a World Cup competitor, and a World Championship team member. Lea is also a Little Bellas co-founder, teaching young girls how to enjoy their mountain bikes.

Heather Irmiger, with multiple National Championships under her belt and top-ten finishes in several World Cups, is exploring the emerging discipline of Enduro mountain bike racing.

Kelli Emmett—from her World Singlespeed Championship to her three U.S. Super D Championship titles to both her All-Mountain World Championship wins—is ready for something new again. The Liv/giant pro is focusing on Enduro racing lately.

Know the Basics Be sure you know how to change a flat tire. Local bike shops often hold fix-a-flat clinics, and it’s likely you can find a friend or bike shop employee who would be happy to show you, too. “Practice changing your tube at home until you can do it in your sleep,” Heather Irmiger recommends. “There’s nothing worse than being stranded with a flat and feeling powerless when it comes to repairing it. It’s a super easy thing to do, takes less than five minutes, and is the number one skill any rider should have.”

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m Mountain Biking

“Trust me: The more you ride, the faster you get!”—Georgia Gould Words of

Encouragement Crashing is okay. “It just means you’re pushing yourself,” Kelli promises. “You’re going to crash.

It happens. I crash all the time.

When I do, instead of getting mad at myself, I tell myself it means I’m learning.”

Georgia looks ahead on this technical stretch of trail.

Challenge yourself but don’t ride over your head. “Some people say, ‘If you’re not crashing, you’re not getting faster.’ I disagree,” Georgia says. “You can push your limits without riding out of control.”

Have faith that you can improve without doing major damage to your bike—or yourself!

Don’t be afraid to walk your bike.

“If you get to a technical section of trail that looks sketchy or intimidating, just get off and walk it,” Georgia advises, assuring us she walks often on unfamiliar trails.

“This isn’t a style competition. It should be fun, not terrifying!”

Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. “Trek Bicycles once put this quote on Facebook, and I think this is great advice,” Heather says. “Many of us, women specifically, tend to over-think things and come out judging ourselves too harshly. Be perfect now and realize that it takes years to master a skill like mountain biking.”

56 WAM • FALL | 2013

Knowledge comes with experience, yes. But Lea Davison says there are some things you shouldn’t have to learn on your own.

1. … it takes time for your behind to get used to a saddle. “Please don’t let soreness from the first week of riding deter you from ever riding again,” Lea Davison pleads. A couple key gear items can make the break-in period go smoother: bike shorts, the right saddle, chamois cream.

2. … you do not wear underwear with bike shorts. “Everyone needs to have The Underwear Talk,” Lea says. “I had to have it, my sister had to have it, and I’m pretty sure Olympic bronze medalist Georgia Gould had to have it at some point. So, let’s just get it over with and save the embarrassment. It may seem weird at first to go commando in those new bikes shorts, but you will be converted after a couple of rides.” Wearing underwear with spandex causes friction and chafing.

3. … disc brakes stop you quicker than you’ll expect. Most mountain bikes now have disc brakes, which stop you much more quickly than the older V-brakes with rubber brake pads you may be used to. The first time you hop on a mountain bike with disc brakes, very lightly pull the brake levers (use one finger on each) just to get used to the difference in braking power. “This will prevent you from slamming on the brakes, stopping your bike dead in its tracks and sending you over the handlebars,” Lea says.

womensadventuremagazine.com

COLIN MEAGHER

Push your limits by riding with better mountain bikers—and not necessarily your sweetheart. “Be sure to go into this sort of situation with someone who is willing to ride barely faster than your level so that you can learn from his or her technique,” Heather advises. “In my experience, trying to ride and learn from a significant other can be very frustrating so look to ride with a friend or peer.”

You should know that …

Mountain Biking

Common Mountain Biking Mistakes Mistake: “Women often drop their elbows, put them by their side,” Kelli says. “I don’t know why we tend to do this. If you have your elbows by your side, you can’t move your bike or change your body position much.”

Correct it: Try getting your elbows up and out, at a 90-degree angle.

Mistake: “When we get scared, we want to roll into this ball and bring everything close together to protect ourselves,” Kelli says. “On your bike, that’s the worst thing you could do when bombing down a descent and you feel timid. Your bike will throw you around, bounce you off, and that’s when crashes happen.”

Correct it: Aim to have bike and body separation, and try moving the bike underneath you by standing and moving side-to-side, pushing on the bars, turning your core in the direction you want to go, turning your hips to the left and right. “It’s a foreign feeling for most people, but you know you’ve got it down when you start feeling your outside knee pushing on the bike,” Kelli assures us. “You’ll feel your inside knee kind of rotate toward the inside of the corner.”

Mistake: “I’ve seen a lot of people try to ride in the saddle on really steep downhill,” Kelli says. “You just know it’s going to be bad.”

Correct it: Stand while descending on a mountain bike.

“A lot of times, when you’re breathing hard, it’s tough to focus. So, take deep breaths and control your breathing. It’ll help you to focus on the trail and be able to look ahead.”

—Kelli Emmett

Kelli speeds through a corner, taking the outside line.

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Must-Have Gear

Georgia Gould’s gear necessities list is as simple as it gets.

1. Helmet.

2. Flat and repair kit: spare tube, tire lever, a small pump or CO2, and a multi-tool. Stash this gear in a seat pack, available at almost any bike shop.

Also, know how to change a tire in case you get a flat. “It’s not hard—just ask a bike shop employee or a knowledgeable friend to show you how it’s done,” Georgia says.

3. Water (or a hydration drink) and something to eat: “Pack an extra energy bar or gel in case you end up riding for longer than you expected—or in case you get lost,” Georgia warns.

Lea Davison insists that these essentials will keep you comfy on rides.

1. Bike shorts: “Get some!” Lea says. “These specially designed riding shorts have padding, called a chamois [pronounced “shammy”], to help take some of the impact and make you more comfortable.” If spandex isn’t your style, try women’s baggie riding shorts with the spandex bike shorts, including a chamois, inside. (We like over-chamois stretchy skirts, too.)

2. Saddle: “A wider saddle with more padding doesn’t necessarily mean more comfort,” Lea explains. What matters most is that you get a saddle that matches the width of your sit bones. “From experience, a saddle that’s too wide or too narrow for my sit bones puts pressure on all the wrong areas and is extremely uncomfortable.”

3. Chamois cream: Chamois cream is riding gel that you apply before a ride to help prevent chaffing and protect sensitive areas. Lea recommends Chamois Butter for Her, but there are a number of brands out there that’ll do the trick. “If you can’t justify the extra twenty dollars,” Lea says, offering this insider tip, “then Noxema [face cream] can be a good stand in. But it doesn’t live up to the real thing.”

Heather Irmiger candidly discusses bikes and their components, listing all the must-haves and the not-so-essentials in her opinion.

1. Bike frame: “I’m not a huge fan of women’s-specific frames,” Heather says. “Essentially, I feel that the geometry changes are geared less toward being a woman and more toward being a beginner rider. Once you move beyond the beginner phase, I think the geometries can actually interfere with proper riding.”

2. Women’s features: “I do think women’s-specific saddles and grips are a great idea,” Heather continues. “We have smaller hands and our pelvis is shaped differently than a man’s.”

3. Brake levers: Most importantly, look for a bike with adjustable brake levers. Not all brands have adjustability to bring the lever closer to the grip for smaller hands. “We want the brake lever close enough that we can do onefinger braking,” Heather explains. “If you’re braking with more than one finger, your levers are likely too far away. This compromises your control!”

Our gear suggestions: Hero Kit for Mountain Biking. Complete, out-of-the-box repair kits for any style of riding, plus first aid kits for gals who like to be über prepared!

These kits come with a set of the handiest tools and—here’s the kicker—a pocket manual to the most common bike repairs, including flat tires, broken chains, and loose parts. $39.99; herokit.com

WAM • FALL | 2013 57

m Mountain Biking The Next Big Thing:

Enduro Mountain Bike Racing “People are having a good time Enduro racing,” Kelli says. “You get a full day of riding experience and you get to ride fun trails you’d get to ride normally if you just went out with your friends.” Like many professional mountain bikers, Kelli’s primary focus this year was the Enduro Mountain Bike Association’s World Enduro Series, which kicked off in spring 2013 with the hope “to establish, develop and spearhead Enduro mountain bike racing worldwide.” We spoke with her after the series’ first race in Italy. High on the thrill of this evolving sport, here is what she said.

Defining Enduro

Helpful Hints

“People think, ‘Enduro: Oh, 100-milers!’ But Enduro is a lot heavier on the skill side. Fitness is still important, too,” Kelli says.

In general, this new type of competitive mountain biking follows a stage-race format with the winner accumulating the fastest overall time. Enduro stages are primarily downhill sections of technically challenging trail designed to test the riders’ skills and fitness. They are usually linked with cross country-style riding sections, called transfer or liaison stages, in which riders aren’t timed but are often expected to make a time cutoff.

Multi-stage enduro races may take place all in one day or over a few days. However, Enduro races

sometime consist solely of one long downhill racing-like stage. “It’s interesting there’s not a standard form yet,” Kelli says, “but it’s cool to see this transition into racing.

It’s growing into something that might stick.”

In the States, Enduro racers are timed on short, downhill sections of trail and can begin whenever they get to the start. “But Enduro racing in Europe [where the majority of the World Enduro Series events took place] is different,” Kelli says. “You have to ride to all the stages, and the transfers take an hour or hour and a half. If you miss the cutoff, you get penalized. You have to be fit enough to make the time cutoffs.”

Pace yourself. Practice one skill or technique at a time. Even if you need to work on five or ten different skills, just choose one to focus on per ride. “If you’re trying to think of all ten things, you’ll come to the corner and not know what to do,” Kelli says.

Keep practicing. Work on your weaknesses. “Sometimes it’s just one small thing you learn that makes something that felt difficult and scary really click,” Kelli says.

Enduro Training Kelli’s workouts have morphed from slow, sustained efforts to short efforts—interval blocks that look something like seven minutes of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. “I’ll maybe ride up a climb and find a downhill trail that’s about 10 minutes long and try to ride it as fast as I can,” she says.

Training-wise, you need to hone in on being fast. “A lot of times the stages are 8–10 minutes long,” Kelli says. “You need to be able to navigate the trail and to accelerate hard and fast. The sprints are a minutelong, max—unlike cross country racing, where you’ll do a climb for 20 minutes and then descend.”

Give yourself time to learn new techniques. Be patient, especially if you’ve been riding for a number of years and are trying to break old habits. Kelli says it helps to reflect on where you’ve started from and how much you’ve improved. “People say it takes 10,000 times before you really get it,” Kelli says. “I don’t know if I believe that, but the process does take time.”

Have fun!

“I get lost on rides all the time, so I keep a friend with me who has a sense of direction!”

—Heather Irmiger Heather balances over her frame, prepping for obstacles in the trail ahead.

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Mountain Biking

What to do if you …

… go over the handlebars. “Try to duck and roll,” Lea Davison says. “Once you have landed in a pile on the ground, take a deep breath. Make sure you are okay and collect your thoughts and nerves.”

Heather Irmiger agrees with this advice. “Going over the bars with your arms stretched out in front of you is a great way to increase the chances you’ll land awkwardly and break a collarbone.” … get lost on a trail. Retrace your ride. “If you are having a hard time doing this, you can go Nancy Drew-style and look for clues like your tire track in a mud puddle,” Lea says. “I always bring my cell phone so I can look at the map when I get lost. The little blue dot will, at the very least, help you get oriented. You can also call someone who is familiar with the trails to ask for directions. But, it’s better to be prepared and bring a map on the ride so you can avoid this all together.” … drop your chain. “If you drop your chain, you can point your bike downhill and pedal softly while shifting your front derailleur into the hardest gear,” Lea explains. “Pedaling slowly and shifting is the key to making this work. This way, you won’t have to get covered in grease.”

If that doesn’t work, you can fix it manually. Heather outlines how: “If you’re dropping your chain often, something is wrong with the tune on your bike,” Heather says. “Your shifting cable may be loose, or the derailleur may be out of adjustment, causing the chain to fall off. But, to get it back on, take your right index finger and push/hold the rear derailleur forward to release the spring tension on the chain. With your left finger, place the chain back on the front chain ring. Release the rear derailleur, then move the pedals forward with your left hand while holding the rear wheel in the air with your right hand.” … get scared on a trail. “Stop and walk,” Lea says. When Lea pre-rides a World Cup course, she stops on the descents, walks them, watches others ride them, picks her line, and then rides. Lea doesn’t try some descents or obstacles if she doesn’t feel comfortable. Her rule of thumb: “If I’m going to spend the whole race worrying about getting over an obstacle and wasting energy, it’s not worth it. I take the B-Line [the easier but slower line] rather than the A-Line.”

Lea focuses on clearing a muddy log, despite a wild crowd.

“Everyone needs to have The Underwear Talk. I had to have it, my sister had to have it, and I’m pretty sure Olympic bronze medalist Georgia Gould had to have it at some point.”

—Lea Davison

The Pro’s Top Rides Vermont-native Lea Davison’s favorite rides are all pretty much in her backyard. Here’s a little about them.

Millstone Hill (Barre, VT): “This ride is three hours worth of pure, technical, East Coast singletrack,” Lea says. “It’s absolutely beautiful, especially in the fall when the Vermont foliage is in full force.” The trail almost never overlaps itself and tours a huge granite quarry. millstonetrails.com Catamount Outdoor Family Center (Williston, VT): The variety of trail types and terrain caters to pros and suits first-timers alike. Catamount’s summertime Wednesday Night Ride Series is the oldest weekly mountain bike training race series in the country. “It’s a great family atmosphere, fun singletrack, and a heated battle for bragging rights,” Lea says. catamountoutdoor.com

MICHAL CERVANY

m

Heather Irmiger travels often, and most of her trips are to mountain biking destinations. These rides, she says, have been the highlights of her year so far.

Doctor’s Park (Crested Butte, CO): “I visited Crested Butte—for the second time ever!—and would have to say this entire area would be a top favorite and destination I want to return to again and again,” Heather says. “Specifically, Doctor’s Park was incredible, but I’ve heard the 401 to the 403 is a must-do!”

Buffalo Creek (Bailey, CO): This is fast, flowy singletrack mixed with rooty and rocky sections. “You can access a chunk of the Colorado Trail from the network in this area,” Heather says. “I’ve never left not grinning ear-to-ear.”

Georgia Gould says her favorite trails all happen to be in the West, and here is why she loves them!

Adam’s Gulch Loop (Ketchum, Idaho): This trail starts off with gentle climbing on dirt road through pine forests. After a few small stream crossings, the trail turns and crisscrosses a small gulch filled with aspen trees, lush grasses, and wildflowers. You finally gain a ridgeline and the start of spectacular views before a fast and furious downhill section through aspen groves, pine trees, and open hillsides covered with sagebrush.

McDowell Mountain Park (Fountain Hills, AZ): This 21,099-acre park (maricopa.gov/ parks/mcdowell) boasts 50 multi-use trails and a mountain bike park that offers three loops to total 15 miles of interesting, competitive-level riding.

“There used to be a race here that was one of my favorites,” Georgia says. Trails are sandy, fast, and not too technical. The terrain is rolling with no long climbs or descents. But stay on your toes— the trails are lined with cacti! Hey, at least, the wildflowers are beautiful!

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By Daliah Singer

Prep Season: Get Mountain Strong Whether you ski during a once-a-year weeklong vacation or strap into your snowboard 50 days a season, getting into shape before the snow starts falling is important. Working the core group of on-mountain muscles in the weeks before your first ski day will help you enjoy a full day of riding—and that well-deserved cheeseburger and beer afterward. Here’s where to start.

How To Mike O’Brien, a physical therapist at Panther Physical Therapy in Lakewood, Colorado, walks us through six must-do conditioning exercises. Perform them in any order as one workout or tack them onto an already existing regimen.

Exercise 1: Hip Diagonals Attach an elastic band to your left ankle with the other end of the band tied to a tree or other sturdy, anchored object. Stand rooted on your right foot with your left leg forward and diagonally in front of your body. Pull your leg back and away from your body. Make sure to keep your hips level; don’t lean. Do 10 reps then repeat with your right leg.

Works: hip strength, glutes, stability Exercise 2: Elastic Band Lateral Walks We call these Monster Walks because they scare us by how much they burn. Place an elastic band around both ankles and take an athletic stance, knees slightly bent. Take as big of a step to your right as you can, then let your left leg slowly come in to meet your right. Go down a hallway and back. Repeat.

Works: Outer glutes, hip strength Exercise 3: Bosu Step Up Step onto the Bosu ball with your right foot. Put your weight onto your right leg while you lift your left leg up and bend your knee to 90 degrees in front of you. Step down with your left foot and then your right. Do 10 reps and then switch legs.

Works: Quads, glutes, core strength, stability Up the difficulty: As you bring your right leg off the ball, step back into a reverse lunge.

Exercise 4: Inverted Bosu Squat Turn the Bosu ball over. Balance on the inverted platform with both feet, squat, and return to standing. When bent, your knees should not pass your toes.

Works: Quads, glutes, balance Up the difficulty: At the end of your reps, hold the squat position for 30 seconds. Work your way up to 45 seconds.

Exercise 5: Single Leg Bridge Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Extend one leg forward, keeping both knees in line. Raise your buttocks off the floor to pelvis level, keeping your core tight. Hold for five seconds then lower. Repeat 10 times for each leg.

Works: Glutes, core, quads Up the difficulty: Start with your legs on a foam roller or a Bosu ball to add the challenge of balance and stability.

Do: Do a couple sets of 10 to 12 reps every other day (or two to three times per week).

It should take 20 to 30 minutes.

Don’t: Increase the difficulty (or the amount of instability) until you can perform each move for the appropriate number of reps or time while maintaining form. Up the difficulty before you increase the reps.

Tip: Is the routine getting stale? Reverse the order. It’ll challenge your muscles in different ways.

Have Gear: Bosu ball, elastic band

Exercise 6: Lateral “With strengthening exercises, form Plank is the most important thing.”—Mike Lie on your side, propped up on your O’Brien, Panther Physical Therapy elbow, keeping your heels in line with your knees, hips, and shoulder. Lift your hip as high as it can go and hold. Repeat on other side. Goal: 60 seconds without breaking form or shaking too much.

Works: Obliques, hips Up the difficulty: Once you raise your hip up, try to lift your leg or arm, bring it down, then lower your body.

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BOULDER’S ALPINE TRAINING CENTER, @DEANBLOTTOGRAY, ADAM MORAN/COURTESY OF BURTON

Winter Strength Training

m Winter Strength Training

Winter Strength Training

m

6

Top of Her Game

Number of weeks before the season you should start ski- and snowboardspecific training

Tips from a Pro: Kelly Clark, 30, snowboarder Cred: Three-time Olympian (one gold, one bronze), 10-plus Winter X Games medals, six U.S. Open titles When you’re not in high competition season, what does your training routine look like?

Maintenance and recovery. I am on the spin bike helping my legs recover from riding, working on mobility, stretching, and doing core. It’s extremely low-intensity so the volume can stay high.

What does your off-mountain workout routine look like?

I try to get as strong as I can off the hill to set me up for a fun and safe season. I build in the summers and sustain through the winters. It’s a mix of strength, core, mobility, agility, and cardio. Snowboarders don’t want to bulk up; we try to be lean and strong.

On Location Sign Up “A lot of people think that if they do 1,000 crunches, they’re going to have a core that’s functional.

Not necessarily. It might be strong but not stable. So: Increase stability of the core as well as strength.”—Jo Garuccio, instructor, Snowbird Mountain School; examiner and trainer, Professional Ski Instructors of America

How many hours a week do you spend working out?

During my snowboard season, I am only at the gym five to seven hours. During my off-season, I have more of a strength program. I’ll be on my bike and at the gym around 20 hours a week.

Rather go to a gym than try to get into ski shape at home? Check out these four spots.

Alpine Training Center Boulder, Colorado The eight-week Ski Conditioning Program ($300) is geared toward riders of all levels (backcountry or resort). Participants make their own schedules—three times per week is recommended—and work on strengthening legs, core, and back, as well as plyometrics. Classes typically start the first week of October. thealpinetrainingcenter.com

On Track Burlington, Vermont Once a week, get your butt kicked with a “dynamic functional strength training” Ski/Ride Conditioning Class. A focus on lower body and core strength translates to box Any workout tips for our readers? jumps, lunges, stability ball work, I travel most of the year, so I like a good body weight and band workout. You don’t even need a gym. An easy and other thigh-burning exercises. on-the-road workout: a series of push-ups, pull-ups, tri-dips, and some shoulder band work. Add some core, Classes typically run from the end leg band work, and single-leg squats for strength and balance and of October through February. you pretty much have it all. I also run the stairs when I’m at hotels and ontrackhealth.net don’t have any good cardio options.

Are there specific areas of your body you focus on? Why? Core is perhaps the most important thing that snowboarders focus on. We definitely have to get our legs strong as they do a lot of the work, but if we don’t have a strong core, that leg work falls apart pretty quickly.

We spend a lot of our time winding up, initiating tricks and resisting the forces that come against our body while riding the halfpipe—that all comes from our hips, stomach, and back.

64

Recommended ounces of water you should consume daily, particularly when you have a rigorous training regimen

What advice would you give to the weekend warrior skier/snowboarder about getting in shape for the season?

A little prep work goes a long way. If you don’t get up on the mountain that often but you have good general fitness, you’re going to set yourself up for a good time, even if it’s a day or two. If that day or two is your only physical activity, it will be hard to get the most out of it.

Spend a few days getting your heart rate up and challenging yourself.

Why is it important to condition prior to the season?

When I’m in shape, I have more fun. That’s the whole goal with snowboarding; you want to go out and have a fun time on the mountain with your friends. I like to do my prep work so I’m not physically limited and can get the most out of my days on the hill.

Recovery: Boost It Getting into shape doesn’t mean going all-out 24/7.

Give your muscles some down time by resting for a day between sessions or by varying what body area you focus on during each workout.

After you train, drink one serving of chocolate milk. The protein and carbohydrate levels in the loved-by-kids beverage helps replenish weary muscles.

900– 1,100

Approximate number of calories an adult will burn during a full day of skiing (around 2.5 hours)

Sound Mind & Body Gym Seattle, Washington Join this twice a week, 10-week, large-group Ski & Sport Conditioning Class offered once in the fall (starting in mid- to late-September) and again in the winter. Olympic gold medalist Debbie Armstrong helped develop the program more than 20 years ago. smbgym.com Bell Fitness Center Jackson, Wyoming For 40 minutes every Monday (November through early February), the HIIT Ski Fitness class will challenge you with high-intensity exercises include lunges, squats, and plyometrics, which strengthen your muscles while also prepping your cardiovascular system for a day on the slopes. bellfitness.net WAM • FALL | 2013 61

By Erica Lineberry

Climbing

m Climbing

Climbing Disciplines

MOUNTAINEERING: Also called Alpine climbing. The goal is to summit a peak, and it usually involves a lot of steep hiking (often in the snow) in addition to technical rock climbing.

TRADITIONAL (TRAD) CLIMBING: As a climber progresses upward, she places removable gear into cracks and fissures on the wall (called “pro,” short for “protection”), and clips her rope into this gear to protect her in the event of a fall.

SPORT CLIMBING: Similar to Trad Climbing, but this time the climber clips her rope into pre-drilled bolts at various points on the wall for protection.

BOULDERING: Climbing to the top of a boulder, usually 10–20 feet tall, with large, foam “crash pads” below and watchful spotters to protect the landing zones.

Getting Started DON’T

✓ Find a local gym. Most indoor climbing gyms offer an introductory class that teaches basic skills: properly tying into the rope, key safety commands, and how to use a belay device.

✗ Read a book and think you know it all. Climbing is a sport in which certain mistakes equal serious injury or death. Having an experienced partner to learn from is required.

✓ Touch Real Rock ASAP. Indoor climbing is fun, but that’s only the beginning. The real magic happens outside, where you aren’t restricted by ceilings and colored tape! Hire a local guide or, if you’re on a shoestring budget, take a more organic approach—make some friends at the gym. You’re bound to score an invite sooner or later!

✗ Underestimate yourself. If you can climb a ladder, you can climb a rock. If you think you’re too short, fat, old, or out of shape … think again!

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✗ Forget to take pictures. If it turns out climbing’s not for you, you can still say you tried it. If you get hooked, it’ll be fun reflect on your first forays on the rock.

LINGO To the newbie, climbing jargon can sound like an entirely different language. Here’s a chart with some common terminology.

Toproping Where beginning climbers get their wings. The anchor is pre-rigged at the top of the cliff, so the climber doesn’t need to worry about placing any protection. A wonderful, safe introduction to the sport!

Lead Climbing Bringing the rope up with you from the ground and clipping into protection points along the way.

Whipper Slang for a fall that occurs while lead climbing.

Crimper A very small handhold—usually no wider than a fingertip.

Jug A large, deep hold in which the climber can “shake out” and rest up for harder moves.

Sloper A hold with an undefined, sloping edge that requires lots of contact strength to use.

Belay The act of taking in and giving out slack to a climber. The belayer is the person who will “catch” you when you fall.

Crux The hardest move/sequence on a particular climb.

Projecting The art of methodically working through the moves of a route that is initially beyond your ability but is achievable with time and dedication.

Beta Information. “Route beta” is shared between climbers about specific moves on a climb, whereas “Trip beta” might be generalized information about camping or restaurants at a given destination.

Fun fact: The name originally came from the word “Betamax,” a video format from the pre-VHS days.

Climbers would watch videos of other climbers to study their “beta.” womensadventuremagazine.com

DAN BRAYACK, MANUELA EILERT

DO

When people find out that I’m a rock climber, the usual reaction is something to the effect of “Wow, I could never do that!” I almost always respond, “What’s stopping you?”

So many times we, as women, refuse to undertake new adventures because of fear—fear of the unknown, of failure, or even of success! We wrap up this fear in politically correct packaging with excuses like “I’m too old,” “I don’t have time,” or “I don’t know how.”

At first glance, rock climbing might seem like an extremely intimidating sport to try. But look beyond the surface and you’ll find a very complex sport that appeals to a wide variety of people for a wide variety of reasons.

Some yearn to get high on a mountaintop, with an innate summit fever that takes them to the tallest peaks. Others prefer to push their physical and mental limits in the sport climbing or traditional climbing arena (or both), whereas still others enjoy the social aspects of a day bouldering or top-roping with friends. One of the best parts of climbing is that it’s a sport that doesn’t differentiate between gender, race, or even body type! Few sports with such an extreme reputation have such a diverse population of participants. But one thing the participants all have in common is that they’re all addicted to playing outside!

Interested? Read on.

Training For most people, the best way to get good at climbing is to just climb. You will see significant gains in strength, technique, and endurance simply by moving on the rock! Sport-specific training (campus board, hang board, etc.) should only be attempted by climbers who are consistently climbing 5.10 or higher. Until then, climb in as many different areas as you can, on as wide a variety of terrain as you can find—slab, steeps, cracks, etc. You will find that you naturally excel at certain types of terrain, and struggle at others.

To be a well-rounded climber, target some extra mileage aimed at your weaknesses. (In other words, force yourself to climb routes that aren’t easy for you!)

TECHNIQUES

What’s with all the numbers?

Open up a climbing guidebook and you will likely see a host of confusing numbers! They are difficulty ratings, which are highly subjective (and therefore often hotly debated!). Here is a rundown of the two most common scales: the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), which is used for roped climbing, and the V Scale, which is used for bouldering.

Beginner Moderate Advanced Expert

5.0–5.9 5.10–5.11 5.12–5.13 5.14 and up

V0–V2 V3–V4 V5–V11 V12 and up

Flag—Extending a leg out to the side to provide counterbalance.

Backstep—Using the outside edge of one foot on a hold by turning that hip inward, bringing your whole body closer to the wall.

Dyno—Using momentum to propel the body upward toward a distant hold, i.e. “jumping” for a hold.

Hand Jam—Filling up the negative space created by a crack with your hands; can be used for forward progression or as a resting stance.

Heel hook—Using your heel on the wall to take some of the weight off your arms; commonly used on steep, overhanging terrain.

Stem—Using opposition to support the body by pressing the hands/ feet outward in opposite directions.

Lock-off—The ability to hold the upper body in place with one hand while the other hand moves to a higher hold.

Styles Of Ascent For most climbers, the end goal is to “send” a route, which means to climb the route from the ground up with no hangs or falls on the

rope. Example: “It took me several tries, but I finally managed to send my project!”

However, all sends are not created equal, and some sends carry more street cred than others …

Hangdog—Technically NOT a send, this happens when the climber either takes a fall or chooses to rest on the rope, but still makes it to the top.

Onsight—The most coveted of all sends. This means you sent the route on your first attempt, without any prior knowledge of the route, figuring out all the moves for yourself on the fly.

Flash—Also impressive. A flash is another first try send, but with prior knowledge of the route—usually from watching or belaying someone else on it first to glean beta.

Redpoint—Any send that took the climber more than one try, whether it was 2 or 200 tries.

WAM • FALL | 2013 63

gear

Chill Out: Cold Weather Apparel Cold Weather Apparel Snag the latest, greatest pieces—some new and some tried and true—sure to keep you cozy as days shorten, temperatures drop, and autumn colors brighten hillsides.

Brooks Range Mountaineering Quick Dash Hoody. The only mid-layer you’ll need for all adventures, this plush fleece top features a full coverage hood, hand warming pocket, shirttail for added warmth and a chin guard. Slim fit allows for layering without adding bulk. $149.95; brooks-range.com

By Chris Kassar Aventura Ellis. Throw on this stylish cap before heading out, and enjoy your ride into town or a walk through the woods even more. The plush Berber fleece lining and beautiful, textured corduroy exterior keeps you warm and looking good on the go. Sure to become a staple of your cold weather wardrobe. $34; aventura.com Smith Approach Max. It may not be summer anymore, but your eyes still need protection from the sun and elements. Smith’s new Approach Max glasses with three interchangeable performance lenses provide superior optics in a low-profile frame design perfect for active ladies like you.

Custom fit thanks to an adjustable nose pad and hypoallergenic rubber on temples, nose pad, and brow that reacts with perspiration to prevent slippage. Bonus: constructed from Smith’s Evolve technology, a 53 percent bio-based material. $159; smithoptics.com

Scarpa Kailash GTX. This burly boot provides ample, well-placed structure and support to keep your feet and body happy as you explore nature’s bounty. Features like a beefy Vibram sole provide traction over rocky and icy terrain while Gore-Tex® designed for outdoor excursions in changing weather, a protective toe point, and added durability make these suited for the fall season and beyond. $209; scarpa.com

Outdoor Research Versaliner Gloves. OR has outdone themselves once again by bringing you two pairs of gloves in one compact, highperformance package. The fleece liner keeps fingers toasty while a removable waterproof-breathable shell protects hands from wind and rain. Bonus feature: zippered pocket in the fleece glove stores the shell and/or a hand warmer if the mercury drops drastically. $49; outdoorresearch.com

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Mountain Hardwear Women’s Ramesa™ V2 Convertible Pant.

These comfortable, light, quick-dry hiking slacks will help you tackle even the toughest terrain. Perfect for fall’s unpredictable weather, turn these into shorts or back to pants with the flick of a zipper.

The only downside: no ankle zipper means you have to remove boots or stuff pant bottoms into gaiters to convert to shorts. $75; mountainhardwear.com

womensadventuremagazine.com

PAD DLE

No need to shun the water or abandon your kayak as seasons shift. Bomber Gear’s Hydrogen Neoprene Top and Bottom features stretchy 1 mm neoprene, which means you’ll stay cozy and protected in this thin, yet incredibly warm under layer that moves with you through every paddle stroke and big drop. Anti-microbial treatment keeps funk to a minimum. $99.99 (Long Sleeve Top); $84.99 (Pants); bombergear.com

PEDAL When the leaves start to change, don Pearl Izumi’s Symphony Thermal Cycling Tight ($145), featuring a comfy women’s-specific chamois and high-tech fabric to wick moisture and hold heat so you stay dry and warm. Targeted wind protection on the knees and inner thighs plus reflective elements for low-light visibility make these a must-have for riding on cooler, shorter days. Couple these with W’s Elite Thermal Ltd Jersey ($130), boasting three back pockets and brushed fleece that keeps your core warm and feels great against skin. For a bomb-proof system, add these accessories: Pearl Izumi’s PRO Softshell WxB 3X1 Glove ($130) and Shoe Cover ($100). Both are fully insulated and waterproof to protect extremities without adding bulk or sacrificing dexterity. pearlizumi.com

gear

Cold Weather Apparel

Arc’teryx Cerium AR Jacket. This unique piece merges the best qualities of down with those of synthetic to create a durable and versatile light, low-profile jacket.

Down core provides max warmth while “down composite mapping” strategically places synthetic insulation in high-moisture areas like arm pits, hood, collar, cuffs, hemlines. It can be worn as a standalone piece but also layers well since it’s small enough to pack up to the size of a grapefruit and weighs only 12 ounces. $265; arcteryx.com

BOUND Run better with Zoot Sports W’s Performance THERMOMegaheat+Tight ($85), change: Ultra Run Thermo Tight quick-drying pants are sure to reduce fatigue and keep muscles warm. Bonus features: zippered leg closures add to versatility, flat waistband for unrestricted breathing, compression-fit. After your runs, bounce back faster by donning Zoot Sports W’s Recovery 2.0 CRx Sock ($65), which puts direct pressure on specific areas, decreases post-run swelling, and speeds muscle recovery. You’ll feel the difference—trust us! $65; zootsports.com

WAM • FALL | 2013 65

gear

Safety Gear

See and Be Seen

By Jennifer C. Olson

Running and Biking Safety Gear

CycleAware Beamer. Not just shiny, this saddle bag is fully reflective. It boasts a wiggle-free strap system and high visibility, but it’s also pretty good looking! $23; cycleaware.com

Nite Ize LED Sport Belt. The comfiest safety accessory we’ve come across, this red LED belt warns others on the roads or running paths that you’re just ahead. If you’re cycling, a handy gadget is the Helmet Marker Plus ($11.99), a flashing rear light that’s as portable as your helmet. $27.79; niteize.com

RydeSafe Reflective Decals. Deck out your townie with decals that will get your noticed—in a good way. You can choose a color to match your frame or stand out from the crowd with a bold mixture of colors or shapes (from hexagons to mustaches).

It’s the cheapest and most stylish way to up your street safety short of wearing a string of Christmas lights. 66 decals for $13.95; rydesafe.com

GoMotion FUSION Backpack Light. This inventive system eliminates the chaffing and bouncing against your forehead caused by some headlamps. Updated this fall with a lower-profile pack attachment, this 100-lumen LED running light clips to your pack straps and lights the way while also allowing you to be seen— thanks to its flashing rear red light and reflective taping. Beam width may be adjusted between flood or spotlight while the angle of your lamp is adjustable by 110 degrees. Battery life can last anywhere 8 and 54 hours, depending on the brightness mode. $59.95; gomotiongear.com

66 WAM • FALL | 2013

Princeton Tec Vizz. At 150 lumens of Maxbright LED light, this headlamp is bright, signal-Batman-in-the-night-sky bright. You can see up to 90 meters ahead while wearing this baby. Afraid of blinding your friends? Relax. There’s also a dimmable flood beam and a red Ultrabright LED setting to use when searching for stuff in your tent or car at the trailhead. $49.95; princetontec.com –Jennifer Davis-Flynn

Knog Blinder 4 Cross. A fashionforward front light that is easy to strap on your handbars and compact enough to stow in your purse when away from your bike, the blinder’s 80 lumens of light and 5 different modes will help you navigate city streets safely and will ensure oncoming traffic sees you. Pair it with the Blinder 1 Heart ($29), an 11-lumen rear light. $44.95; knog.com.au

womensadventuremagazine.com

Trail Running

Trail Running

By Jennifer C. Olson

Ultimate Direction Jurek Endure. Two 10-ounce water bottles are nestled in pockets right against your hips, while the zippered pouch carries whatever trail fuel you need or even a cell phone for emergencies. A jacket or a hat and gloves can be stuffed into its bungee system, too. The Jurek Endure—as a gear item designed by a renowned ultrarunner should be—is a race-friendly mode of carrying food and water. $39.95; ultimatedirection.com

ECCO BIOM Ultra. This company knows trails and it knows shoes; these two areas of expertise combine in this sturdy pair of trail runners for women unafraid of gnarly terrain and grueling distances. $160; ecco.com

NATHAN Intensity 2L. A women’s race vest that allows you to pack a ton of extra gear (not that we recommend doing that), the Intensity boasts an easy-to-refill bladder and a fit that moves as you move. Stretchy mesh at the front and moisturemanaging mesh at the shoulders, this won’t weigh heavily on your shoulders or rub on your lower neck as some ill-fitting men’s packs might. $100; NATHANsports.com Patagonia Fore Runner EVO. Tackle any trail with these minimalist, sticky-soled running shoes with drainage holes, strategic cushioning, and a mesh upper. Designed for a mid-foot landing, the Fore Runner EVO offers more support and cushion that many of the minimalist shoes out there. $120; patagonia.com

Suunto Ambit2. The ultimate GPS watch was recently updated and now includes improved outdoor features (weather, altimeter, routes, etc.) and more room for customization. The Ambit2 works in sync with Movescount, an online hub where you can upload your exercise data and do everything from create a new multi-sport function to calculate how many calories you burned—in the equivalent of glasses of wine.

Personally, I think that knowing and sharing your numbers drives athletic improvement and helps us women push our goals.

But the features and options available in the Ambit2 are geared toward the outdoorsy woman in particular, so we can geek out a whole lot more to safely, knowledgeable enjoy our adventures. $500 ($550 with a heart rate monitor); suunto.com

Moving Comfort Sprint Insulated Vest. Quilted Primaloft and wicking side panels come together for a fabulous fit in a vest that also features reflectivity for safety on dark paths. Pair it with the über comfy Endurance Tight ($82), which boasts flatlock seams to eliminate chaffing and a flattering wide waistband. $110; movingcomfort.com

WAM • FALL | 2013 67

gear

Patagonia Houdini Pant.

Wind-resistant material and water-repellent, these 3.1-ounce pants are easy to whip out when you sense a chill coming on and even easier to pull off before you get too sweaty. $99; patagonia.com

gear

Wool Socks

Your Feet Deserve Better More than you ever wanted to know about your most underrated pieces of gear: socks.

After reading this article, you may just want to go home and sort your sock drawer. We’re not kidding! Something as simple as sock design can make or break an adventure, and there’s so much more to a fabulous outdoor sock than you’d expect. Read on to discover how great fit, frictionless design, and naturally performing materials come together in some of the best merino socks on the market.

By Jennifer C. Olson

Who are the sock experts?

Sue Jesch, Design Director of Smartwool Peter Duke, CEO co-founder of Point6 socks (alongside his wife, Patty Duke) Ric Cabot, Founder and President of Darn Tough Vermont Luke Eldridge, Sales Manager of FITS

Why spend on socks?

High-quality socks are worth the comparatively hefty price, if nothing else for their unmatched durability and priceless fit. “They’re built to last,” says Peter Duke of Point6.

And we can attest. All but one pair of the merino socks Women’s Adventure has tested in the past year have held up very well. And the one pair that didn’t?

Well, that brand (not mentioned here) is re-hauling its sock line and will debut a stronger than ever sock in 2014, underlining the fact that durable socks are more than worth their double-digit price tags.

Plus, you don’t even need that many pairs. “Because merino socks are durable, antimicrobial, and quick-drying,” Ric Cabot of Darn Tough Vermont explains, “two or three pairs are plenty for hiking the entire AT. You’ll carry gear, food, and water. The less gear you have, the more food and water you can carry.”

What makes a great sock?

The first ingredient to an outstanding outdoor sock: merino wool. “Merino describes a micron-range of wool that’s soft and durable. You want merino wool that has low-micron so it’s soft against skin. The lower the micro, the softer and more durable,” Ric says.

“Super fine merino wool is a super fiber,” says Luke Eldridge, Sales Manager of FITS. Merino is naturally anti-microbial and inherently helps with moisture management or breathe-ability. Plus, it won’t itch.

The next key ingredient in a high-quality outdoor sock: nylon (or some other synthetic material) for durability and structure.

Synthetic reinforcing for durability typically goes under the heel and under the ball of the foot. “Wool socks not reinforced with nylon in those high-abrasion areas will develop holes quickly,” Peter says.

“All Smartwool socks have elements of elastic and nylon, you need those synthetics for stretch and recovery,” Design Director of Smartwool, Sue Jesch, explains. “Still, Smartwool makes sure wool is next to your skin. The wool performs, so making sure that’s next to your skin is key.”

While some companies argue over the way to reinforce socks, FITS embraces a couple of methods. “The differences are just in the placement of nylon,” Luke says. Speckled, spotty socks are called regular plate, where nylon is woven into exterior. The synthetic on the outside creates a durable shell and gives the sock a longer life. The other type is called reverse plated, or sandwich plated. That’s where nylon is knit to the inside of the sock between layers of wool. Nylon is the structure and wool fills in. You still get

68 WAM • FALL | 2013

wool against your foot and wool on the boot side. “That’s the softer feel, and it’ll be more expensive,” he says. “Both are very comfortable.”

But why so many choices? Every brand has its own strategy for durability. Smartwool’s is called WOW technology: wool on wool.

“When we use wool on wool, instead of nylon on wool, we’ve found it’s more durable,” Sue says. “WOW is in the key places where you need durability—high-impact areas where the shoe rubs. You’re cushioning and also reinforcing.”

Peter thinks that might not be the best way to add durability. “People assume the more wool, the better it is, but adding wool in these extra areas is just marketing,” he says.

One tried and true method to durability: small-needle knitting, which results in more stitches per inch and exceptional durability and cushioning.

“High-density knitting,” Ric says, “refers to the terry loops per square inch.

The loops—1,431 loops or stitches per square inch—are so small and the needles so fine, they don’t break down or fold over under pressure, so the sock will keep its cushioning longer than something that’s heavier.”

Here’s why. “If you look closely at a wool sock, you might see all these hairs sticking out of the new socks,” Peter says. “Those fibers sticking out can start to pill, and those balls can build up and pull out. That’s a durability issue. When the yarn is spun compactly, these hairs do not stick out. So you don’t have all these fuzzies going on, which lessens the chance of the pilling and pulling out of the fibers.” womensadventuremagazine.com

End use matters, Sue says. To determine the sock height, silhouette, and cushioning, you need to consider how you’ll be using your socks. It’s pretty simple. For a casual hike, you don’t need heavy cushioning. If you’re backpacking for days, you’ll want something that packs lighter and is more durable. The height of your socks depends mostly on height of your boot, so find a sock that matches up well with that shoe.

“We try not to break it down into microcategories,” Ric says. But the company does make socks for six active wear categories: ski/ride, hike/trek, run/bike, lifestyle, hunt and kid’s styles. The terrain and climate determines what kind of shoe you’ll be wearing: a trail runner vs. heavy mountaineering boot, for example. For running, you’d want a sock with cushioning on the foot bottom and with a shorter top. If you’re in a heavier boot, you want cushioning on the shin area to keep the tongue from rubbing.

Cushioning in the leg prevents dirt and pebbles from entering the boot too.

“You want lots cushioning but not a heavy

seamless toe closure

sock. The heavier, the worse the circulation and the worse your performance is,” Ric says. “Your performance will deteriorate with poor circulation. Good cushioning comes from high-needle count but low bulk.”

While high-density knitting (or cushioning without bulk) is key, the amount of cushioning is a personal preference. “Your preference depends on the weight you like and your boot fit. Some claim there is more warmth in medium-weight sock, but it may be perceived,” Luke says. “FITS are cushioned primarily in the heel and toe or arch area, except for downhill ski socks, which have cushioning at the shin, too.”

Next to the sock’s silhouette and cushioning, a stellar fit is crucial. “Fit is so important that we built our brand around it,” says Luke. “A perfect fit requires a dynamic toe box—a toe box that

Wool Socks

gear

Which socks do I need?

“A perfect fit requires a dynamic toe box—a toe box that moves as you do—and a heel that locks in place, plus a cuff at the top that provides full contact.”

–Luke Eldridge of FITS

moves as you do—and a heel that locks in place, plus a cuff at the top that provides full contact.”

FITS tries to accommodate differently shaped feet and toes by minimizing excess material but giving socks a lot of cross stretch to account for a wide variety.

Darn Tough Vermont does the same. “Our socks are knit with a healthy amount of Lycra to make them fit and stretch better,” Ric says.

Ultimately, a great sock is crafted around the anatomy of the foot and leg; it fits over the foot and stays in place. Deeper heel pockets prevent a sock from sliding toward the arch and bunching up inside a hiking boot. Graduated construction—a contoured shape from the ankle up to the cuff—also prevents slippage and bunching.

“Ill-fitting socks add friction between foot and sock, sock and boot,” Luke says to further emphasize the importance of a perfect fit.

B

eyond fit, there are a few foolproof ways to eliminate friction. Among them, having a seamless toe box, an exceptionally pronounced heel pocket, and an ideal amount of stretch. Here, Peter outlines these three things you must know about socks to really understand fit. Whip out a pair of your own socks and explore these areas as you read.

1. Toe closure: The idea in a toe closure is to eliminate the sewing of that toe closure. If you turn it inside out and go to the toe area, is it flat or have a ridge? If it has a ridge, it was sewn, that ridge can become and irritant to your toes. “We design our socks around that and our toe closures are looped, so there’s no seam, which eliminates irritation on toes,” Peter says.

2. Heel gore line: Look at where the ankle intersects with the heel pocket on your socks. If there is no line, you have a tube sock (pretty much any standard drug-store sock out there). “The tendency of many [tube] socks is to fall down the leg, because the heel pocket doesn’t secure the heel,” Peter says. So, creating a gore line produces a pronounced heel pocket. The longer the heel gore line, the deeper the heel pocket. The deeper the heel pocket, the better fitting the sock is around your heel. “The shorter the sock’s heel gore line, the less expensive it is to make the sock, because the machine slows down in that area to do the gore line,” he explains.

“Because the heel fits around your foot better, the pulling on the front of your leg isn’t as great. Otherwise will bunch up in front.”

3. Cross stretch: Pull the sock to each side as you’re putting it on your foot. You need right amount of stretch so it’s not too tight. Women will especially notice tightness around the calves.

“Women’s calves are lower than men’s calves, so women complain about crew socks in that area,” he says. graduated compression and cross stretch

pronounced heel pocket WAM • FALL | 2013 69

gear

Wool Socks

“All these hairs sticking out of new socks can start to pill, and those balls can build up and pull out. When the yarn is spun compactly, these hairs don’t stick out. So you don’t have all these fuzzies going on, which lessens the chance of the pilling and pulling out of the fibers.”

—Peter Duke of Point6 Now that you know what to look for when you’re buying socks and you’re convinced they’re worth the cash, you need to know how to care for your investment.

Durability depends on use, shape of foot, wear and tear, how you care for their socks. So, like anything, try not to abuse them. “Treat them with respect. Treat them like a good piece of gear,” Ric says. “The better you treat your socks, the less repair needed.”

You can up the durability of your socks by having two pairs of the same sock, he says.

“Have an extra pair just to make sure you don’t wear a certain sock on the same foot over and over again,” Ric says. “There are companies that produce a sock for the left and right foot, but the toes and heels rub in the same spot so that they wear more quickly. In the end, it’s not a good idea because those socks wear out faster. The odds are that, without foot-specific socks, you’ll switch feet every time or every third time.”

“Socks with high merino content will dry quickly, so you can wash them in a stream and they’ll dry overnight,” Luke says. “They’re also antimicrobial so you don’t have to carry six pairs of socks, just a couple.”

Sue agrees. “You can wear these socks multiple days without washing them and they won’t stink. However, when you’re done, stick them in the machine if you have to,” she says.

Wash merino wool socks inside out in warm water. Super fine merino will inherently pill, but washing socks inside out will reduce pilling and make your socks last longer. Line drying or laying socks flat to dry is best, but putting them in the dryer is not a problem.

It goes without saying, but never bleach or iron your wool socks. Nylons have memory so you don’t want to expose them to high heat. Heat will break them down quicker, too.

Of the many sock maintenance philosophies, Point6’s recommendations are the loosest: “Wear

70 WAM • FALL | 2013

them, wash them, throw them in the dryer.

Enjoy them for a long time. Quality is built in,” says Peter Duke. His best advice: “Call Grandma.

Darning is an art form gone with Grandma. Take a needle and thread, just sew it together if you need to do that.”

Sue has a different take: “You don’t really fix socks,” she says. And here’s why: Once the merino is gone, the performance nature of the sock is gone. If you want to darn them, consider that you’ll be adding a non-performance material. “The nylon [for reinforcement] isn’t the performance material, so when the wool is gone, it’s time to get a new pair.”

“You can wear these socks multiple days without washing them and they won’t stink.

However, when you’re done, stick them in the machine if you have to.”—Sue Jesch of Smartwool

womensadventuremagazine.com

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WAM • FALL | 2013 71

It’s Personal

Seeing Red

The bike ride from hell (Don’t act like you’ve never had a nightmarish trail experience.)

By Sara Johnson

T

he woman helping us at the bike shop pulls out a map and opens it to a series of green trails that begin right across the road and loop in small circles, each returning to the trailhead. But she points to another path on the map first. “Go out this wide, flat trail around the mountain as a warm up,” she suggests. “Then come back and do these singletrack green loops.” We thank her and leave to gear up for our ride.

We drove for an entire day to mountain bike in this tourist town (to remain unnamed) and had looked forward to exploring these trails for months. Finally, our ride is happening.

I spot an outhouse at the trailhead and roll directly toward it, lean my bike against a railing, and tell my boyfriend to hang tight. It’s that time of the month and I need to be ready for an afternoon in the saddle, so I freshen up and hop back on the bike.

“On your left,” we gently tell families of hikers as we head away from the parking lot. At the first intersection, we decide to pursue the singletrack loops and hit up the wider road later.

Neither of us thought we’d enjoy passing hikers constantly, like we would have to do on the beginner trail, so we turn right, coast downhill, and round a corner into a wash.

That’s fine. But the trail leading out of the wash is untamed—rocky and twisting sharply.

I don’t trust my hormone-ravaged body, which feels tired and off-balance this week, to power up that section. I can’t even spot a decent line through it.

So I get off and walk. I remount on level ground and only ride another couple hundred yards before I’m walking again. I’d slowed down to pass a set of hikers and had no momentum to make it through a more technical stretch.

Just ahead, I see that the trail splits two rocks and there’s no way I have the skills (or, rather, confidence) to squeeze between them without bumping a pedal against one and falling. So I keep walking, rolling my bike over the rock on the right.

In the saddle again, I spin softly, trying to find my groove. I never do.

It feels like this trail is out to get me. It’s unpredictable, inconsistent, and mean. All the technical segments are hidden around corners, coming at you with no warning. And, once you discover these challenging sections are right in 72 WAM • FALL | 2013

front of you, it’s too late to prepare. The way into them is always steep and slippery.

At another intersection, my boyfriend is waiting, poised to take photos of me crushing it on my bike. I don’t even attempt a phony smile.

He remounts and we ride together until we round a sharp switchback and hit another wash.

This is not fun.

When this hellish trail finally links back up with the original hiking trail, we decide to try that warm-up path after all. I feel like I’m holding Scott back, like he’s not having fun either, and like I want to quit riding for the day. But we’d driven for an entire day to get here and ride together, and we’d only been in town an hour or two.

“You should just go ahead,” I tell him, staring into the dirt. “Do your thing.”

He says he wants to ride with me but will leave if I want. He asks if I’m sure. And do I want the map?

“I’ll find my way,” I say, not meeting his eyes. My whiney tone suggests that I want someone to coddle me, solve my riding woes and make mountain biking fun again.

Scott starts riding away, and I tell him to stop, stay with me. I wipe my eyes and nose, and start pedaling.

This wide road is full of hikers, but some singletrack runs just parallel to it. As if the first singletrack loop didn’t make its point, we decide to follow this trail a ways. The start proves way more enjoyable than the first loop, but then we hit a steep drop, a waterfall of baby heads that is 100 yards long and leading into a ditch. Now we are both walking.

A small group of mountain bikers heading the opposite direction appears surprised at the difficulty of this trail, too. They’re all hiking their bikes.

“How’s the trail up that direction?” Scott asks them.

“About the same,” they reply.

On the other side of the ditch, he gets on to ride again. Just then, a family comes down the trail. The dad passes us, the teenager makes it through, and the mom appears out of nowhere as Scott reaches the steepest part of the climb.

She doesn’t yield to him (the uphill rider with the

right of way) and stubbornly stays on her bike. In slow motion, I watch her fall into a shrub.

After she, pretty stony-faced, passes me, I laugh hysterically. I can’t help it. It’s the raging hormones again, teaming up with my ego and turning me into an unsympathetic trail mate.

Farther up, I’m walking through some narrowly clustered trees and have to move aside for a woman on a 20-year-old hardtail, riding in sneakers on flat, plastic pedals. She’s wearing a safari hat under her helmet and she’s smiling.

It makes me—on my fairly new full-suspension bike—want to cry again.

Eventually, I climb a cliff-like boulder and end up back on the wide trail. Scott is there, waiting for me. “That woman in the safari hat rode this section,” he states in amazement, pointing at the rock I’d just hauled my bike over. I shake my head and try to laugh.

We decide then to stick with the wide, slick rock trail and soon I’m having enough fun to have almost forgiven this place for that first set of trails.

We’re cruising side-by-side, chatting, stopping to take photos of the geological wonder we’re circumnavigating—and smiling.

At another trailhead, we pull off to look at the map. Scott visits the outhouse and I decide to tinkle, too. I am sweating but still surprised at all the moisture in my baggies. Hovering over the toilet, I discover that my most embarrassing and irrational worry has become reality. I will be finishing my ride on a slick red saddle, sitting in two layers of soaked-through shorts. How could this happen? Wasn’t I careful to prepare? It’s only been a couple hours.

I tell Scott that it’s time for me to head back. We ride together awhile before he turns off for a longer, more challenging route back to the car while I cruise the wide path to the trailhead.

In the front seat of the car, I change out of my riding clothes and, a few wet wipes later, feel like a new woman. Finally, clean and presentable after the trail experience from hell, I sit on the tailgate, relieved that the torturous ride is over and relaxing with a can of sparkling juice.

Scott returns, requests a juice, and pretends I wasn’t a whiney companion that morning. We load up the bikes, kiss each other lightly, and head back to town, where we’ll have dinner and plan our next ride. womensadventuremagazine.com

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