MERRELL.COM Blog

Take Me to the River

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:55:00 GMT

Let's ease into this Monday with some visual aids.

Last week Active Child released their music video for "Hanging On." The song is equal parts intense melody, flowing electroinc beats, and lush strings.

And did I mention there's a harp? Yes, Active Child (aka Pat Grossi) develops the string section all on his harp. You don't see that every day. (Unless you're a harpist. Or 18th century Baroque fan. Or Cupid.) OK you don't see that every day in popular music.

The Hanging On video brings us outside to join a lone fly fisherman. The landscape of his journey to the river and details of the catch match the intricate soundscape created in the music. We see the leaves he steps on to get there, the choosing of lures, the rushing river. He takes us somewhere else: outside, but also back in memory, perhaps glimpsing his younger fly fisherman self.

Now go make your own analysis on the rest of the sounds and sights. Active Child's album is perfect for a Monday—enough harmonic inspiration to keep moving, beats to avoid a desk nap. Just don't get caught by any large fish today.

Gone Fishing,
-KK

The Chance to Relax

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:28:00 GMT

The joy of doing nothing:

Here, David Hiser captures backpacker Steve Miller in 1972, mid-break in Utah. The original caption for this photograph reads: "One of the Joys of a Long Hiking Trip in the Desert Is the Chance to Relax and Do as You Please."

Beyond the immediate silliness of seeing "Do As You Please" as a photo title, this seems like a strange observation to make. Because usually relaxation means...uh...napping in a hammock. Or in a large hot tub, followed by a free massage. General static activity, right?

Hiking miles through the Canyonlands, or any-lands, is strenuous on the body. But there is also an integral part of the trek that includes stopping along the way or finding a final destination to rest. It is the time to take in the scenery, to appreciate your progress, divvy up snacks, or just to do nothing.

Getting outside does not always mean high intensity—we are not all scaling Everest this weekend. And that's pretty OK, since there are plenty of other adventures to explore, challenging or not. Also, that would be way too many people on Everest and highly unsustainable and probably boring.

Here's to doing nothing this weekend, at the end of your long hike. Or maybe at the beginning of your hike. Or maybe instead of a hike, you plan on doing nothing outside. Breathe the air, take in the scenery, talk to your companions.

Or talk to you masseuse about all the mountain climbing you will be doing next weekend.

Relaxed,
-KK

Photographs from the EPA's Documerica Project (1971-1977)

Merrell Barefoot Road Glove Reviews

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:58:00 GMT

The Merrell Barefoot Road Glove was called the "bloggiest shoe of the week!" from Anotherfnrunner.com. See why by checking out what the running bloggers had to say in their reviews. Keep an eye for the Road Glove arriving at your local retailer's shelf and visit our Merrell Facebook page for info on how you can score some great Merrell Barefoot prizes upcoming in February and March.

Running and Rambling

Maple Grove Barefoot Guy

Minimalist Running Shoes

Runblogger

Average Guy Hits The Road

Yosemite, Then and Now

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:40:00 GMT

Have you ever been to Yosemite?

Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty decided we should all go together. Their collaboration, Project Yosemite, has gifted us with a beautiful time-lapse video of views from all around the park.

A high definition tour of one of the oldest national parks, you say? And I don't even have to leave my couch? Or computer chair! Or beanbag perch!

Well not exactly. (Let's use the images as fresh inspiration to get there, or get to your local Yosemite.)

Artists, photographers, and explorers have documented Yosemite for years to show us its peaks and valleys, seasons, and wildlife.

Project Yosemite's video is an amazing artifact of what Yosemite looks like now, a modern way to capture the latest iteration of a long history of landscapes. It is a reminder that we live in close proximity to wilderness, even when we don't feel it. And it is a reminder to continue to collect Yosemite with experiences and images.

In this way, we can look to the then, now, and future of Yosemite. We have been in awe of this landscape for centuries—creating this kind of archive will serve our memories as we continue to preserve the space.

Yosemite-bound,
-KK

Additional photographs by C.E. Watkins from Yosemite Views (1861-1866) at the New York Public Library.

I am Merrell: Ryan Gallagher

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:10:00 GMT

We Were Wanderers

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What does it feel like to experience a new wilderness?

James W Griffiths' short film We Were Wanderers On A Prehistoric Earth honors the exquisite landscapes of Malaysia. The sweeping shots of flora and detailed fauna bring us to an outside space that feels untouched.

These visuals are coupled with excerpts from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness: "The day was ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky was a benign immensity of unstained light." (You can read the full combined text below).

Luckily this film does not include the darker excerpts of the novel and also the larger themes for which it is criticized like...ahem...colonialism. But I digress. Griffiths carefully chose this text for its beautiful descriptive quality. He uses Conrad's prose to draw us into the feeling of experience this new landscape for the first time.

That would be a beautiful gift, setting foot on our earth before modern history. What would it look like? Where would you go?

And how the heck do you draw a map for that?

Griffith's film takes us to that place for now—a forest that seems to be from another time, pristine, beautiful. Now go find your own new wilderness. There's bound to be a primeval forest nearby.

We are wanderers,

"The high stillness of primeval forest was before my eyes, standing higher than the wall of the temple. The silence of the land went home to one's very heart--its mystery, its greatness, the amazing reality of its concealed life.

Over the great river I could see through a somber gap glittering, glittering as it flowed broadly by without a murmur. Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. The sun was fierce, the land seemed to glisten and drip with steam. The great wall of vegetation, an exuberant and entangled mass of trunks, branches, leaves, boughs, festoons, motionless in the moonlight, was like a rioting invasion of soundless life.

Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound. The day was ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky was a benign immensity of unstained light. In its curved and imperceptible fall, the sun sank low. The dawns were heralded by the descent of a chill stillness.

All that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men."

Connecting to Climb

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:35:00 GMT

Alpine Mentors is fostering a new generation of climbers, stewards, and citizens.

You know the old proverb: Give someone a mountain and they'll have a mountain. Teach someone to mountain and they'll...live forever! That's how it goes, right?

Steve House's Alpine Mentors program is the more eloquent and inspiring version of that idea: Connect experienced climbers with unexperienced climbers as an opportunity to teach and learn. Introduce young people to a challenging outdoor experience that they may not otherwise access. In this way, Alpine Mentors brings the next generation of passionate alpinists into the fold.

Climbing can be an intimidating community to enter without proper introduction: safety precautions to follow, gear to learn, instincts to build. (Also, carabiner jokes to hear). This kind of opportunity for young climbers offers immediate access to those resources, person to person.

The human connection mentoring provides is not just about passing on skills. This act of bringing others to the outdoor experience is a powerful tool.

We all have some nugget of wanderlust that brings us outside and continues to draw us there, whether it is to explore or exercise or smell the air. Or maybe find a good view for lunch. Usually that seed was planted by someone leading you into an early outdoor experience—it could have been a family member, friend, community leader. Someone literally (or figuratively) held your hand and guided you onto your first mountain, or into your first lake, or pointed out your first trail marker.

Mentoring also provides a chance to share philosophies and challenge first-time users to develop their own sense of the land. Alpine Mentors sounds like it will make good climbers, but also smart people who will care for their mountains, and themselves.

There are many opportunities to share your gifts with those around you. If you are an experienced alpinist, apply to be an Alpine Mentor. If you are an experienced anything, bring people with you the next time you go outside.

Holding hands,

-KK

I am Merrell: Amy Roder

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:44:00 GMT

Up and Away

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:30:00 GMT

Richard Branson promises to take us all up into space.

Branson created Virgin Atlantic Airways and is now building a private space shuttle business to take commercial travel to the next level (of altitude). Virgin Galactic currently boasts reservations for 475 people, who have each paid $200,000 for the opportunity to go into space. Does that come with in-flight meals?

To tell you the truth, I'm feeling rushed. Hold your rocket-powered horses. Not that I have even close to enough frequent flier points for that, but there's a whole lot to explore here on earth still. I want to visit the oldest tree in the world and experience an uninhabited island and get a little closer to setting foot on all of our continents.

I'm not saying you shouldn't go. And by you, I mean all those willing to ante up. Although the American space program has changed recently, there are many scientists who believe that this kind of private space tourism could fund the future of our exploration of space as a whole. And that sounds like a viable step.

So maybe I'm a homebody, but I'm going to hang here for a bit. There are still paths to find and places to go and earth-bound humans to see.

Space is amazing and promises to be a whole new wilderness. I just want to make sure we explore our own too.

From the ground,

-KK

To Warmer Climates

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:24:00 GMT

Let's talk about the weather, huh?

Temperatures are dropping/will drop/have dropped. It's cold in North America. Anyone need a vacation yet? Let's plan one.

Requirements:

1. Sunny weather.

2. Friends for good hang outs.

3. Fun. (Including fun outfits)

If you're one of the few snowbirds traveling south for the winter, raise a waterski! And for the rest of us, we'll be reminiscing about when lakes were a welcome swim, while we skate on top of them.

To wintersports and watersports,

-KK

Reminisce with more photographs from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

Resolutions, Simplified

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:30:00 GMT

We all need help with our 2012 to-do list.

The new year is fast approaching, and with it comes a chance to start afresh! To make new choices, change old habits. At least that is the sense you get from all the new year hype. It gets complicated when your list of life changes and dreams starts to stretch so long that you get overwhelmed with the logistics and the act of "resolving" in itself. Especially for the Nostradamus fans, who are trying to fit a whole lot in for 2012.

So we are keeping it simple this year. A resolution that keeps us happy, healthy, and active. And this one doesn't even require giving up refined sugars:

Cheers to a 2012 of large dreams outside.

We will see you there, with bells on. And hiking boots, of course.

-K.K.

Need a reminder? Download your 2012 Resolution here.

Archiving the Fresh Coast

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:40:00 GMT

Ed Wargin is holding on to the coast, one photograph at a time.

A long-time professional photographer, Wargin has transformed his connection to the Great Lakes as a Minnesota native into a project documenting the region.

The Fresh Coast Project sits at the intersection of art, history, wilderness, and memory, as Ed Wargin captures the details along the 10,000 plus miles of shoreline that make up the Great Lakes. And he's using (gasp) both digital and film mediums.

Digital photographs are the primary vehicle for most of the images we see these days. Especially when hanging in the internet world. So...all of us here. Part of the core mission of The Fresh Coast Project is utilizing film as a marker by which to tangibly track the Great Lakes. These are real pieces of wilderness memory that Wargin is creating—moments of wildlife, land, and water—that will serve as artifacts of something as changeable as a shoreline.

First of all, looking at just the digital versions of these photographs makes you want to hop on the next floatplane to the upper reaches of the lakes. (Now is your opportunity to find a floatplane, right?) These images are simply beautiful.

But they also succeed in drawing you in to a kind of intagible place of memory that Wargin creates with his carefully curated choices of scene and mood. The rocks and trees and bullfrogs are not a tourism plug. Their detail suggests more about the Great Lakes-as-resource, that the region is connected to real communities of people, industry, wildlife. By archiving the coast, Wargin hopes to create stewards of the future.

"The project is not so much about telling you the story of the Great Lakes, but it is about telling your grandchildren the story of the Great Lakes."

The Fresh Coast Project is an ode to the ol' Spirit of the Lakes: one that dips its canoe into the water and navigates the landscape and knows its inhabitants. Wargin is creating physical evidence of that spirit. Now carry it with you.

From the dock,

-KK

All photos courtesy of The Fresh Coast Project

A Holiday Wilderness

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:00:00 GMT

How do you celebrate the holidays outside? Let me count the ways:

1. Dashing through the snow (and gravel and streets and stairs)
Turns out, you don't have to go to the mountains for a big ski. JP Auclair demonstrates the power of powder (and sometimes lack thereof) in a small town, swerving around buildings and above cars.

2. Joining in some reindeer games
This lone reindeer looks like he's having too much fun. There's the spirit—we all need to get outdoors and run around.

3. Letting Jack Frost nip at your nose...on purpose
If you're the adventurous type, maybe a cold-weather climb is your holiday speed. Cory Richards filmed his record-breaking winter climb in 2011, documenting each challenging moment of ice, wind, and frosty beard.

4. Observing the Festival of Lights, up north
Witnessing the display of Northern Lights in person is a holiday unto itself. Mother Nature is lighting one, two, or maybe all eight of your menorah candles in one fell swoop.

5. Chestnuts roasting on a meticulously-kept-leave-no-trace fire
So the original yule log is not actually outside. But yours can be! Just like the rest of your trips outside, celebrating the holidays should include packing in. And that includes all traces: campfire, s'mores, and holiday cheer. Bring it all home with you.

See if you listen closely, the holiday are already giving you explicit instructions for celebrating outside. And if that doesn't fuel you, a couple pounds of sugar cookies will.

Reporting live from Santa's mountaintop ski lodge,

-KK

I am Merrell: Pat Konarska

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:41:00 GMT

What To Do In The Dark

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:17:00 GMT

December 22nd marks an important point in our celestial path.

"As our spinning globe of rock and metal tracks its steady path around the Sun, we find ourselves crossing once again through the winter solstice, the point at which Earth’s northern pole is pointed as far from our fierce stellar parent as it can be." At least that's how Scientific American describes it.

Whew. Sounds like an important spot, right? And for those of us situated on the Northern Hemisphere of this globe of rock and metal, it also marks an important day: the shortest one of the year.

That's a tough pill to swallow for most of us, as a lot of our time spent awake, feeling alive, exploring outside, is during daylight hours. What do we do when those are few and far between? What do we do in the dark?

Look Up: Spend time checking out the night sky. The longest night of the year will give you plenty of time for that. If you don't know a lot of the astronomical details, read up! Or just stare, mouth agape.

Take a Night Hike: Who says you can't be outside at night? Choose a path that you've taken during the day and explore it in the dark. Your eyes will adjust just fine.

Hunker Down: Light some candles. Romance yourself with a good book or cozy up with someone else. If the lack of light outside means you're in bed earlier...12 hours of sleep it is!

Contemplate Your Impending Winter Doom: Winter's here. It's gonna get colder. If you're feeling anxious about the dropping temperatures, now is your signal to hibernate (or graft a base layer of flannel to your body). And if it's you are of heartier, cold-and-snow-loving stock, welcome!

And for everyone in between, this is the shortest day of the year...things can only go up from here!

To being outside, night and day,

-KK

Do Good, Get Outside

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:22:00 GMT

Do Good, Get Outside

Getting outside can mean more than engaging in outdoor sports. Recently more than 100 people ‘got outside’ in Asheville, NC in the name of volunteerism.

For 23 years now, the Annual Warren Haynes Presents: The Annual Christmas Jam has brought thousands of music fans to Asheville in December for a benefit concert that has raised nearly $1 million dollars for Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.

In recent years, the concert-goers experience has been enriched by the addition of the Merrell Before the Jam, Lend a Hand volunteer event. In the days leading up to the Jam, local and out-of-town fans unite at Asheville Habitat’s construction sites to help build houses for families in need. Participants receive Merrell gifts, savor great food (donated by local restaurants), and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow fans as they get involved - in a hands on way - with the cause the concert supports.

Part of the Jam experience

“It’s like a reunion now. I stay in touch with folks who live here during the year, but then I get to see all these great people that I met in previous years because people come back for this. It’s part of the Jam experience now,” says Jake Quinn of Asheville, NC.

Paying it forward

John Voykin (pictured) treks from British Columbia, Canada to attend the Pre-Jam and Xmas Jam and in recent years has come early to lend a hand on the construction site. A contractor by trade, John has enjoyed Before the Jam, Lend a Hand so much that he convinced his local Contractor’s Association back in Canada to sponsor two Habitat projects there.

Volunteering to make a difference

Despite a tough start this year with heavy rain the first two days, volunteers successfully prepared the 2011 Xmas Jam House for a December 9 wall raising event. Warren Haynes joined Habitat, Merrell, Before the Jam volunteers, the media, and the homeowner family, to raise the wall of a house made possible by Xmas Jam proceeds. This year’s partner family was the perfect match, with mom Michelle Bevans being a life-long Warren Haynes and Xmas Jam fan. A single-mother of two who has always worked in non-profits and education said, “It was hard for me to think of myself as the one who needed assistance. It has been humbling. I had to swallow my pride when I submitted my application to Habitat.” Kent Doobrow, Sales Representative for Merrell, provided the Bevans family with footwear and apparel during the event, and five Merrell employees rolled up their sleeves and volunteered on the site that day.

“It is amazing that playing music can build houses,” said Haynes. “We make a few phone calls, but really it’s the musicians that play for free and all the volunteers that come out here and help build.”

Of Hikes Past

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:00:00 GMT

It feels good to have photo evidence of adventures.

There are always some physical markers to help us remember: bruised knees, a broken compass, that perfect walking stick you found. Documenting with photographs is another way to keep a hold on memories.

Lucky for us, nostalgia crops up in digital form every day. So page through a few of these albums and find the memories to send you outside again. And then take pictures.

Dusting off the photo albums,

-KK

Photos of "Our Family" from glenngould.

Planning Ahead, Planning Well

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:14:00 GMT

The idea of prefab housing strikes fear in many an American heart.

Images of shoddily-made homes dance in our wee little heads. And maybe a few nightmares that we'll be trapped in a trailer from the 1960s forever.

We are thankfully mistaken. Prefab construction continues to evolve, emphasizing solid materials and good design.

Jens Risom's home still has a retro sensibility, but it is anything but musty. Risom, a Danish furniture designer, built his house in Maine in 1967 and it still stands (physically) as a testament to the prefab movement. Risom's home is a beautifully example that you don't need a lot of fuss to connect with the environment around you—sometimes just some planning.

It's like going out on a long hike: you need well-packed gear, but it does not have to be excessive. You need to know your route. You probably need rain protection. You won't perish without trail mix, but you will be able to hike with a lot more energy. And what would you do if you showed up to the trail without hiking boots? Hurt a lot, that's what. Or walk on your hands.

The intricate planning aspect of prefab housing provides opportunities for sustainable manufacturing, detailed building plans, and recycled materials abound. We can create sustainable design that connects a house to the outside in very intentional, specific, simple ways.

These are principles that can apply to all kinds of house construction, whether created on site or in a factory beforehand. Prefab just simplifies some of those steps and eases the process towards green. So if you are out there doing it by hand, power to you.

And if you're still wondering why you need to think about trail mix ahead of time...we should talk.

Wear your boots,

-KK

Photographs courtesy of LIFE. Interested in more of the technology behind prefab housing? Inhabitat is a great resource to start.

Bare Pond

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:41:00 GMT

Watch out. Mother Nature sometimes gets involved in the lives of her inhabitants.

Ever have the feeling that the forces of nature are at work as you trek through the wilderness? That maybe Mother Nature has some major motives behind rustling the trees and rushing the river along?

Like the rainshower that forced you to find shelter, or the fresh snow or the hidden rock that snapped your canoe paddle halfway down the river run. They turned into a new path, new conversation, maybe a new friend. Or perhaps just sore arms. Even citydwellers know the feeling—ever find a $20 bill blowing around a street corner? That's a dinner upgrade. Mother Nature seems to be at the helm of our manifest outdoor destinies.

Here's one story, in which Mothe Nature makes natural attraction a little more apparent for her guests. For your viewing pleasure, Merrell Origins presents: "Bare Pond."

Hang on to your shorts, folks. Mother Nature can make for a bumpy, awkward ride.

We get outside... just like you!

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:39:00 GMT

Winter Hibernation-No way!

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:14:00 GMT

Written by: Denise McHale (Team Merrell)

November 15, 2011

Temps have dropped quickly and you’re feeling like you want to hibernate and have someone call you in April (or in our case in Yukon in May??!). Here are a few tips to get you out of the house, and motivated to get fit and/or stay fit this winter.

Tip #1

Don’t think about it, just “Get Outside”. You may be saying, what the heck kind of advice is that, but seriously, don’t over think it. Get dressed for the weather (more on that shortly), and open the door and get just out there. I guarantee you’ll be happy once you do!

Tip #2

Try a new sport or activity. There’s nothing like some new shiny gear and an awaiting challenge to provide some inspiration.

Tip #3

Make it social. Get out with friends, find a workout buddy. Setting up a meeting with a friend or a group makes cancelling because of inclement weather much more difficult. It’s tough to call and say, “I’m feeling kinda wimpy today”!

Tip #4

Allow yourself time to acclimate to the change in seasons. You may be inclined to overdress as the temps first begin to dip, so dress in layers, so you can add or remove as needed. If you’re going to be doing a high aerobic based activity, you should be slightly cold when you first get outside and start moving.

Tip #5

Invest in some good quality basics and layer as needed based on your personal heat generation.I generally wear a base layer, (Merrell Ambrosia is awesome! or Merrell Geo Half Zip for men), followed by a mid-layer such as fleece, and a wind-stopper layer on the outside when temperatures get frosty. Same for hands in cold temps too – base layer and wind-stopper or over-mitt on top.

Tip #6

If you’re running or walking outside in winter, keeping your feet warm and dry will go a long way to motivating you to get out there. Waterproof shoes or boots in a half size or size bigger than you normally wear is a great investment to keeping your feet happy. A thicker pair of socks and throw some gators on if you’ll be in deep snow and you’ll be toasty and dry.

Tip #7

Fear can be a great motivator and inspiration! Sign yourself up for a new challenge-whether it’s a race, a mountain you want to climb, or a river you want to paddle, Get Outside, and have fun!

I am MERRELL Lauren VanProosdy

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:04:00 GMT

Classic Hiking Advice: Ask Your Feet the Hard Questions

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:02:00 GMT

In 1981, Randal Merrell gave Backpacker Magazine some sage advice: Ask your feet.

In fact, he gave a couple pages worth of advice: well-made lighweight boots and a good fit stand supreme. Backpacker featured Uncle Randy as the resident bootmaster and expert for hiking and backpacking footwear. "Some say Randal Merrell builds the best boot money can buy."

Don't be fooled by the outdated ads (man the 80s were hip) or black and white print (remember when magazines weren't full color on every page?), because Randy's boot expertise is as timely now as it was in 1981, right when he was developing the perfect Merrell Wilderness boot.

Lightweight hiking boots are still the way to go, compared to the cumbersome boots of yore. Why? Ask your feet.

In Randy's words,"By now you will have developed some theories and questions of your own, which is just what you should be doing. Your feet are unique, and only you can choose the right boots for them. Ask them some hard questions, and listen to what they tell you. Then go get fit."

It is that simple. Let's all get a little self-reflective and talk to our feet. What do you guys want to do? Go outside? Comfortably? Sold.

Two feet on the trail,

-KK

You can find the full issue of the 1981 Backpacker Magazine with Randy Merrell's boot thoughts on Google Books. Looking for more Merrell history? You found it.

We get outside... just like you!

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:27:00 GMT

Biodegradable Hiking Essentials

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 04:21:00 GMT

"Leave No Trace" is an important principle in the wilderness.

We all want to stay clean, green, and avoid disturbing the environment. And there's definitely a whole lot of fancy high-tech products to bring with you on the trails. Biodegradable this and soil-friendly that. How about we avoid all that packaging? Let's talk about things you can pack in that you don't need to pack out.

An Abbreviated List of Biodegradable Essentials:

Sweat: Specialized soap is expensive. And you're already bathing in sweat after hours of hiking, so why not bathe in some more? Sweat is biodegradable and rolls right down your back. Phew!

Downed Foliage: Fallen leaves can be anything you want them to be..hats, fans. Just don't transport them from one forest or biome to the next. Palm fronds do not belong in the desert.

Body Heat: Who needs a fire? They take a lot of work, care and attention to maintain in the backwoods. That's why you brought your hiking buddy: put those bodies together, tell some old camping stories and you'll be warm in no time.

Aging Logs: Mean perfect balance beams and resting spots! No need to pack that camp chair made of natural fibers. And who knows if you'll need a canoe on the trip?

A Really Good Time: Enjoying yourself is definitely recyclable. And much easier than dragging Mousetrap on the trail and keeping track of all the pieces. So get going on making your own fun. That's why we came out here, right?

OK so this is just the Reader's Digest version. Before your next wilderness trip you should read up at Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. They've got the full scoop.

Pack it in/out,

-KK

Images brought to you by the Backpacker Magazine archives.

Merrell Origins Fall/Winter Lookbook

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:06:00 GMT

New seasons, new reasons...to get outside!

We all need some inspiration to make it outdoors in cold weather gear, as it is November and many leaves have already a-changed. So get ready for any and all snow-capped exploring with the new Fall/Winter Lookbook for Merrell Origins.

Dust off that layer of summertime haze/bugspray from your eyeballs with some lovely Merrell Origins photography, brought to you by Someoddpilot. Out of that hammock and into the mountains! With the Wilderness, Solo, Eagle, and thick sweaters as your companions.

CALLING ALL THE LADIES!

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:29:00 GMT

COME RUN AND PLAY WITH US…OR AT LEAST JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Calling all of the ladies, women, girls. Where are you? If I started this blog by calling you to a girls night out for a happy hour, a social group run or a coffee chat amongst friends…would you come? I bet so! So I beg the question now…where are you when we want to talk and try minimalist/barefoot running and working out? We all like to get our sweat on. So why not learn about a healthier way to move? If you are skeptical, that’s totally cool, but I challenge you (like any fun runner would) to read on.

Before I dive into the heart and soul of “us” and running, I thought these two quotes from “Born to Run” would inspire us to keep loving the run! (If you haven’t read this book, I challenge you, again, to read it. It will change your running life.)

"All she is doing is….running. Running and smiling. But the smile is strangely stirring. You can tell she’s having an absolute blast, as if there is nothing on earth she’d rather be doing and nowhere on earth she’d rather be doing it than here."

We are women, girls, ladies. We are RUNNERS. It is a common thread that connects many of us. We run alone to dream. We run alone to escape. We run alone just to run. We run together to chat. We run together to push each other. We run together to help each other meet goals. We run to be healthy.

So why are there so few women in the natural running movement?

Sweat is beautiful and a sign of strength (I like to refer to sweat as my “liquid awesome”. Each drip a sign of strength, determination and fun.) We run to be strong, to feel healthy, so why hide our feet? Why place them in coffins that take away from any sensory feedback from the ground that makes them, and you stronger?

Strong feet equal a stronger runner. They provide us with balance, alignment and efficiency. Strong feet make the run fun. They sense the grass, gravel and road. In turn, these surfaces listen and feel your body as you run to meet your goals!

Those few of us women who have made the transition to minimal and barefoot running, FEEL the benefit. We relish in the strength of our bodies AND our feet. We are just like any other fanatical or social runner out there, only we have less on our feet. We feel how our form has changed, and making running more efficient and enjoyable.

So where are you girls? We want you to join our tribe or to at least be part of the conversation. What is holding you back from learning about better form and barefoot running? Is it the transition time? Is it fear of injury? It is just weird to you?

Tune in on December 1st from 1-2 p.m. and 7-8 p.m. on our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/merrell for our first “Womenalism Chit Chat.” Skeptical, fanatical, curious? We want to hear it all! I’ll be live to comment on all of your questions (don’t be shy…I want to hear it all!)

12/01/11-1 to 2pm and 7 to 8pm-Emily Snayd

http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Blog/Article.mvc.aspx/d200882f-e290-481b-812e-7c3777ab3c89

12/08/11-1 to 2pm-Iris Sutcliffe-http://www.stetthatrun.com/

12/15/11-1 to 2pm-Caity McCardell-http://runbarefootgirl.com/

01/05/12, 1 to 2pm; Katie Kift-http://barefootkatiek.blogspot.com/

01/12/12, 7-8pm EST; Krista Cavendar

http://www.nakedonsharppointystuff.blogspot.com/

01/19/12, 7-8pm EST; Shelley Robillard-http://shoelessshelbell.blogspot.com/

Survival of the Fittest

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:28:00 GMT

Let's all review some hot tips for the Backcountry.

1. Be safe.

2. Use common sense.

3. Bear wrastling is not the best use of your time outside.

(But it could get you on the cover of the December 1903 issue of the New York Tribune.)

If you need a brushup on #2, common sense, we should talk. It's a pretty specific skill to develop for wilderness. It comes with practice and experience and listening to people who have both. So while you are working on all of those, Merrell has illustrated some handy Backcountry Survival Tips to help navigate:

We have even included some activities other than wrastling to do with your friendly woods-sharing creatures:

Stay tuned for more survival tips to come. And make sure to share you own, to add to our collective common sense bank.

Working on a safety badge,

-KK

Proper Attire

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 08:19:00 GMT

A good outdoor outfit is hard to find.

Or easy to find, if you use all of your resources. There are more technical guides for wilderness apparel in the world than you can shake a stick at. Like maybe a walking stick, if you're interested in hiking.

You can find advice for outerwear, innerwear, footwear (hello!), packs, and more, all over the place. Finding your favorites and feeling comfortable? That's a longer process.

So here's a toast to that favorite parka or long underwear or hiking boot. It is wonderfully worn in, ready to travel and maybe even gets you excited for your next excursion outside. Most importantly, it feels like yours.

Wear it on the trail. Mother Nature's runway is long and tree-filled and very forgiving.

Waterproof and lightweight,

-KK

I am Team MERRELL

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:47:00 GMT

Name: Greg McHale
Nickname: Gregger
Home town: Whitehorse, Yukon
Sports: Adventure racing, Ultrarunning, Hunting

How I got into adventure racing:
Every day is an adventure race in the Yukon

What the outdoors means to me:
It provides a reprieve from the business of day to day life

5 tips for getting into my sport:

1.Increase your pain tolerance

2. Train hard

3. Do it with friends

4. Purchase quality equipment

5. Have a positive attitude

My greatest accomplishment to date is: surviving the Yukon Arctic Ultra

When I was little I wanted to grow up to be:

o A Teacher
o A Fire Fighter
o A Professional athlete
o A Super Hero
o Other: a policeman

Most amazing place I’ve ever competed at was: Utah

The best advice I would give fellow athletes is: suck it up when it gets tough.

My favorite thing to do after a long race/challenge is:
o Celebrate with friends and teammates
o Eat and drink to replenish my body
o Rest and relax
o Move onto the next thing… I never really stop
o Other: Hunt

What keeps me going when a competition gets tough is: the knowledge that the feeling of quitting will last much longer than the current pain I am experiencing

The one movie I’ve seen a million times and still love to watch is: K-2

One of my success secrets/tips is: if I told you that it wouldn’t be a secret any more.

My favorite competitive activity is:
o Running
o Biking
o Swimming
o Rowing
o Can’t choose just one… I love them all!
o Other: ____________

Best training food is: chocolate milk

Life’s too short to: sweat the small stuff

If I could only wear one pair of Merrells for the rest of my life, I’d wear: Seismics

Nature Calls

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:52:00 GMT

Wiped some dust off this old gem and pulled it from the shelf.

Everyone loves a privy-themed jigsaw puzzle!

Cabin entertainment at its best.

Mother Nature in the Streets

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:27:00 GMT

Lest city-dwellers forget, Mother Nature is all around us.

Amidst the towering structures and expansive shades of grey, it gets harder to find wilderness when you're city-locked.

Street artist Ludo brings a pop of green to the walls of major metropolitan areas in Paris, Los Angeles, New York, London. His series "Mother Nature's Revenge" creates a dialogue around social and economic issues and politics, bringing in elements of nature.

Ludo combines images of technology and man-made objects with the living world: butterflies, flowers, mushrooms. This natural/mechanical mashup certainly has an eerie effect on some walls—a bunch of skull grapes looks less than tasy and you probably wouldn't like to meet this mosquito in a dark alley. But it's also a wonderful reminder of Mother Nature's power and proximity, that wilderness can creep into even the most urban city lives.

Where else do you see nature and city collide? Don't try this particular hobby at home...no really, don't (there are some legal lines that you probably shouldn't cross when it comes to street art, unless you want to be the next anonymous/Banksy). So maybe try this on your own apartment walls first.

But also think about the other ways that the outdoors can enter into your urban life. Or how you can go find it.

To green in the sidewalk cracks,

-KK

I am Merrell: Jared Aldrich

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:38:00 GMT

Try something new... like Merrell barefoot

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:33:00 GMT

For more Merrell barefoot advice including tips and tricks, click here

Desktop Landscaping

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:10:00 GMT

Does your computer ever feel too digital?

The background image might as well be poorly scribbled signs on cardboard: "Trees Wanted" and "Will work 4 mtns."

An oxymoron, perhaps, but I'd like an outdoor computer. To pretend that I'm staring into binoculars instead of a search engine. And trick my brain into thinking it's a printed map instead of sans-serif web-optimized fonts.

Until then, add some sweeping color to your digital experience. Here are some Origins landscapes that could 1. Take you to the river, so to speak and 2. Inspire you to clear your desktop! (A feat of thousands). Download the originals for your desktop at the Origins homepage.

If you look really hard, about 50 trees in on the left and 22 trees up...there! That's me. Waving at you.

Get outside,

-KK

We get outside... just like you!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:43:00 GMT

We get outside... just like you!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:55:00 GMT

Adventurers Anonymous

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:19:00 GMT

There are too many people having too many adventures for you to be sitting at home.

Here are some individuals who should help inspire. They are doing amazing things outside: climbing, paddling, building, jumping. They are a veritable Dream Team of Feats when put together. So check out their big adventures and see what new ones you can create. It doesn't have to be huge, no X Games-style tricks or steroids required, but training and experience will help. Start small, dream big. That's what they did!

6 videos for your "Adventurers Anonymous" playlist (feel free to watch on or off the mountain):

On Assignment
On assignment?? This doesn't seem like work. Camp 4 Collective films as Jimmy Chin documents the climbing community of Yosemite, capturing amazing views of the park and amazing climbs. They even make dangling off a cliff face in your tent look fun.

Carving the Mountains
The Madrid-based Longboard Girls Crew take their carving from the streets to the mountains. Beautifully shot by Juan Rayos, we get close to these ladies as they pick up speed down the curving roads of the Madrid peaks. Keep your eyes on these women, as they are moving fast and building up a global crew of passionate longboarders.

Experience Zero Gravity
These guys are leaping from serious heights and Base Jumping has never felt so zen. The wind gently blowing in your hair, the pillowy clouds catch your fall...shhhh just jump.

Alone in the Wilderness
Dick Proenneke retired in 1967 and started a grand adventure: decades of solo living in the remote Twin Lakes region of Alaska. He constructed his own cabin, and life, in the wilderness. Lucky for us, Dick had a camera and thoughtfully narrates here.

MOVE
Alternate title: "Guys with Cameras + Wandering Feet." A visual travel journal spanning 11 countries, sharing the color and light and sounds of an epic trip. Make you want to travel? Yup.

The Edge of the Earth
Eric and Justin Dennis film this documentary of their journey through the Gates of the Arctic, one of the most remote parks in the US system. On the way, they use some creative logistics to deal with the numerous travel hurdles, all with a ton of film equipment. Oh and did I mention they did it all with solar power? An amazing feat of outdoor adventuring, starring a rarely-seen Alaskan landscape and brought to you by the sun!

Exploring Mendoza

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:24:00 GMT

After arriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina and spending a week there, we made the trek west to Mendoza at the base of the Andes. One of our main goals of traveling through South America was to improve our Spanish skills, so we rented an apartment and signed up for 4 weeks of Spanish lessons. Why did we choose Mendoza as the place to settle down for a month? In order to get outside!

Mendoza is known for their tree-lined streets which thrive in the arid climate due to a complex set of aqueducts that bring snow-melt to the city

Mendoza is situated on the east side of the Andes at about 1,000 meters above sea level, and it enjoys a nice dry, warm climate. With it's proximity to the high mountains, Mendoza is filled with outdoor shops and adventure guides willing to take you on any number of outdoor activities. We met up with a Canadian ex-pat living in Mendoza who took us to his favorite hiking spot and we put our Merrell gear to the test climbing a 3,850 m peak, which was surrounded by 5,000+ m peaks. The goal of our dayhike, a 3,850-m summit, surrounded by 5,000-m peaks

Mendoza is also known for being the jumping-off spot for climbers wishing to conquer Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the western hemisphere at 6,962 meters. Not wanting to miss out on catching a glimpse of the 'big one', we made the 2-hour drive up into the high-Andes to a great viewing spot for the mountain. Unfortunately, the winds were pretty intense and causing clouds to form over and surround the summit, but it was impressive none-the-less

James pictured with Aconcagua hiding in the clouds in the background

The thing Mendoza is probably the most well-known for is it's Malbec wine production. The specific climate, altitude, and soil conditions are perfect for the Malbec grape, and wineries are everywhere! Over our month here, we toured several different wineries, some just outside of town in the Maipu district and others located about an hour's drive away in the stunningly beautiful Valle de Uco region near the town (and like-named nearby volcano dominating the horizon) of Tupungato. We aren't wine experts, but we enjoyed tasting the different varieties while soaking in the views of the Andes.

Winery in the Valle de Uco region with 21,500-ft Tupungato volcano in the distance

Kirsten in her Merrell Sundial dress enjoying a Mendoza Malbec

Since our month in Mendoza is almost up, we are getting ready to hit the road again. This time we are headed north to the Atacama desert, one of the driest places on earth. Our plan is to spend about a month making a big loop north through Argentina, cross over the Andes into Chile, experience the desert, then start heading south again along the Chilean coast down to Santiago.

The Best Cabin in the World

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:49:00 GMT

The Best Cabin in the World is located off unpaved roads.

You'll probably get lost the first three times you go and you don't have enough cell service to GPS yourself there. But if you've got enough people shouting directions from maps, or enough time before dark to turn around a few times, you'll get there. And then you'll know it by heart.

It is constructed with hard work and hard woods. It looks sturdy and feels cozy. Real estate eyes might call it an "open floor plan," but we can just call it one big room.

It is stocked with supplies. Gas lights and candles are on hand. Hearty food stores means everyone is hungry and everyone is cooking. Even your friend who has never fried an egg in his life. Justin can be in charge of PB&Js.

It welcomes all kinds of company. Friends and family. Or just you, mountains and trees. Or you and friends and the outdoors. It's an equal opportunity employer.

It requires wood chopping. And water pumping. And hiking. And swimming. And fire-building. And using the privy (thoughtfully).

It is TV-less and there is no built-in iPod hookup. But there could be singing. And there are streams rushing and birds calling and What was that?! I think there's an animal outside! and branches scratching the siding and No there it was again, I think there's definitely a huge bear outside! and definitely pinecones falling on the roof. Just pinecones.

It means focusing on one task, one footfall, one long drink of already-boiled water. It means time outside. Time with the stars and the trees. Time to realize how close you are to the wilderness. And it is a cabin to keep you there.

It is The Best Cabin in the World.

Best,

-KK

Collecting Pages

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:44:00 GMT

There are more than a few living room cabinets in the world overflowing with back issues of National Geographic: jumbles of stacks, pages yellowing.

Unfortunately we live in a time of “clean lines” (white walls), and “minimalist furniture” (Ikea!), and saving space (we live on top of each other!). So it’s easy to see any collections as clutter. Or any of these overflowing cabinets as dust collectors.

Until you pull apart some of the shiny magazine pages, a few still sticky, and can catch a glimpse of the Andes.

National Geographic has documented natural, environmental and cultural history for over a hundred years. That’s a pretty good track record for a little yellow magazine.

The magazine itself grew out of the National Geographic Society as the group’s official journal (and a prime example of 1800s marketing/membership ideas). What began as a scientific journal for a small group of the American elite grew into something iconic the moment the publication included photography.

Now National Geographic has perfected the art of pictorial journalism the way every parent has perfected the art of disguising broccoli (in mac &cheese/under mashed potatoes). This is photography that can transport you anywhere in the world in such a vibrant way, you may as well learn about it.

Even in times when Americans didn’t travel much past their front door, let alone have television or the internet, National Geographic used their photo-filled pages to inspire. Their visual expeditions around the world, and in the US, inspire exploration, appreciation, or at the very least, curiosity.

National Geographic now has their entire 123-year history available in a digital library, if that floats your computer-bound boat. But I’d say you should go dive into some dusty back stacks, hold those pages in your hands, and see a volcano erupt, or desert trek, or perhaps your next adventure.

Your fellow visual learner,

-KK

I am MERRELL Karen Strough

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:47:00 GMT

I am MERRELL Bill Inman

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:53:00 GMT

I am MERRELL Kelly Campbell

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:09:00 GMT

Everywhere to Go

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:48:00 GMT

Gary Snyder started working outside early in his life.

At sea, on the mountains, abroad; Snyder labored as a fire lookout, a chokersetter in the logging industry, trail crew for the US Parks Service, wanderer Japan.

So it's no wonder that this connection to the outdoors, to nature, has generated some of the most authentically place-ful American poems. No, not peacefu. Place-ful. As in we're all standing on that exact spot, the very particular boulder that Gary Snyder describes.

He can even bring us to his writing desk, as he soliloquizes his computer (sorry PC).

Snyder is able to articulate the spirit of backcountry, of discovery, as he experiences it.

The Trail Is Not a Trail*

I drove down the Freeway
And turned off at an exit
And went along a highway
Til it came to a sideroad
Drove up the sideroad

Til it turned to a dirt road
Full of bumps, and stopped.
Walked up a trail
But the trail got rough
And it faded away—
Out in the open,
Everywhere to go.

He's searching for the trail as much as we are.

I've got everywhere to go,

-KK

*"The Trail is Not a Trail" by Gary Snyder, from Left Out in the Rain, 1986.

Merrell featured in magazines

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:59:00 GMT

I am Team MERRELL: Denise Mchale

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 03:06:00 GMT

Name: Denise McHale
Nickname: Dmac
Home town: Whitehorse, Yukon
Sports: Adventure racing, ultra running

How I got into adventure racing:
Raid the North Extreme was being hosted in Yukon in 2002. The City of Whitehorse approached Greg and I to see if we would be willing to enter a team. We figured - How hard could 500km of continuous remote wilderness travel be for days on end, sleep deprived and hungry with two other strangers?? We really had no clue what we were in for, but survived and finished the race and were hooked.

What the outdoors means to me:
The outdoors to me is a place of freedom and exploration. It is a chance to let go of daily life, to push my limits and to simply be in the moment.

5 tips for getting into my sport:

1.Research and seek advice

2.Recovery is equally as important as training

3. Quality training is better than quantity

4.Mental strength can be every bit as important as physical strength

5. Don’t take yourself too seriously

My greatest accomplishment to date is:
Breaking the Canadian record for the 100km

When I was little I wanted to grow up to be:
o A Teacher
o A Fire Fighter
o A Professional athlete
o A Super Hero
o Other: a photographer

Most amazing place I’ve ever competed at was:
Abu Dhabi

The best advice I would give fellow athletes is:
Stop and look around once in awhile!

What keeps me going when a competition gets tough is:
Reminding myself that I am fortunate to have the health, physical ability and opportunity to have these experiences.

The one movie I’ve seen a million times and still love to watch is:
Point Break.

One of my success secrets/tips is:
Show up at workouts with a plan.

My favorite competitive activity is:
o Running
o Biking
o Swimming
o Rowing
o Can’t choose just one… I love them all!
o Other: ____________

Best training food:
Coke

Life’s too short to:
Not take chances and do things that scare you

If I could only wear one pair of Merrells for the rest of my life, I’d wear:
Seismics!

muddy merrell madness

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:37:00 GMT

The weather was perfect. There was a cool crispness to the fall morning. The sun was shining down on us, and it had rained the day before. Not only would there be man-made mud but Mother Nature decided she wanted to add to the fun. The races on tap for the Merrell Down and Dirty National Mud Run presented by Subaru in NYC were two 5ks, a 10k, a mile run, and a 100 yard dash. The latter two were made up especially for kids. All the while the races were going on there were other activities to entertain the masses. And by masses I mean the almost 5,000 athletes participating and the countless spectators and volunteers. I had braved the streets of SoHo to pick up my packet the day before at the Eastern Mountain Sports store there so I was able to skip that step. Getting to the event and parking were so easy I almost felt like I was in the wrong place. Lucky for me there were signs set up so I knew I was in fact at the correct location.

My first stop once in amongst the vendor village was to the Operation Gratitude tent. I had a large envelope in my hands that contained 100 or so letters and pictures from my students and other students at the school I teach at. The idea was for these letters and pictures to be included in the care packages that Operation Gratitude send to our deployed soldiers and wounded warriors back home. Carolyn Blashek, the founder of Operation Gratitude, was very grateful for my students support and pointed out that they had brought supplies for cards and letters to be made at the event. They had stickers, pens, crayons, and so many different types of paper I couldn’t count them all. One of the greatest things was hearing that the Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Runs have raised $51,000 for Operation Gratitude thus far. That didn’t include the people that were stopping by to donate money throughout the day. With each care package costing about $15 to assemble and ship the Mud Runs have helped to send out over 3,400 packages and counting. Carolyn was especially excited to tell me that their 750,000th package would be shipped out before the end of the year.

From there I made my way to the Merrell tent. I could not contain my excitement at the sight of a human sized hamster wheel.

The folks at Merrell had brought a whole size run of their Trail Gloves for men and Pace Gloves for women to try out. What better way to try out a shoe then to get on a hamster wheel that is nice, clean, and carpeted. I was eager to feel how my Sonic Gloves felt to run in since I had just gotten them on Friday and was going to be running in them for the first time. Let me tell you, I give hamsters and gerbils a lot of credit. It was hard to get a good pace on the wheel. In fact there was a hand rail on one side so you could hold on to if you had to. The kids were disappointed that you had to be at least 16 years old to try it out but by the end of the event there had to have been at least 100 adults giving it a try. Many people were getting their first exposure to a barefoot running shoe and were very eager to listen to their benefits from the Merrell staff. All the different colors of shoes also turned out to be a hit. I particularly liked how there were kids barefoot shoes, casual barefoot shoes, and shoes from Merrell’s new Origin collection hanging down from the top of the tent.

Somehow I managed to get all of this in before my 9:30 start time. I met up with Christine, who also works at the EMS Waterford store, so we could run together. To help control the start we were to get into a corral based on our projected mile pace time. From there each corral was let out in a stagger.

There is nothing worse than trying to get yourself right in a good rhythm only to be stuck behind slow pokes. I have heard of this technique being used in marathons but it totally made sense for this race. If we weren’t staggered we would all be standing around at each obstacle waiting our turn to get through it. The first part of our race was a lovely stretch along the cement stone walkway along the beach. Running with the barefoot shoes I was able to feel all the spaces between each block. This is not a bad feeling but more of an unusual sensation that you may have never noticed before. I also really enjoyed running through Mother Nature’s puddles and not getting wet feet. I know I was at a mud run and would eventually be soaked but I really wanted to test out how well the softshell upper was on the Sonic Gloves. Sure enough in Mother Nature’s puddles my feet stayed warm and dry. With colder weather approaching I was very pleased with how my shoes were handling the abuse. Over the course of 5k they would go on cement blocks, mud, asphalt, mud, grass, sand, mud, Pelham Bay, and did a mention mud? The only downfall of wearing the Sonic Gloves opposed to my Trail Gloves was that Pelham Bay stayed in my shoes when I got out. If the shoe can keep Pelham Bay in the shoe then it must be good at keeping puddles out.

Many runners chose to wear their race shirt during the event. This was a great idea. I too was rocking some Merrell Opti-Wick for the run. No matter what, you were going to get very dirty and wet but it certainly feels a lot better wearing wicking, polyester then cotton. My once gray shirt became very brown but it is spending sometime soaking in a bucket with my other clothes. Based on the soaking I am extremely confident that when it gets washed it will be gray again with no hints of brown. I was somewhat hesitant about my Opti-Wick shorts at first though. They seemed kind of stiff and I was concerned about how they would feel while running. Soon enough they became a non-issue. Actually they were better than a non-issue. The shorts outer shell seemed to bead water and mud away. This in turn helped me because my shorts didn’t get weighed down with water. They went from being a concern to being a big “Ah ha!” moment for me.

The obstacles were great. They provided a little challenge along the way. It was enough to feel that much more accomplished but at the same time they enabled whole families to get out there. At one point I was running along side of a girl that had to have only been 13 or 14 years old. For those younger than 13 there was the Adventure Kids races.

This truly was a family friendly event and I would love to see more kids out there doing it next time. One of Merrell’s objectives is to get more people outside and moving around and this most certainly did just that. So what do you say kids; how often do Mom and Dad tell you to go run and crawl through a giant mud pit? Even better how often do you see your mom or dad covered from head to toe in mud? Let’s get outside and have some fun!

For me the event would not have been complete without a haircut. I had hosed off and changed but managed to get mud covered again while taking pictures and here I am asking if I can get my hair cut. Paul Mitchell is one of the sponsors of the Adventure Kids run and they were giving out free haircuts in exchange for donations to Challenged Athletes Foundation. This organization provides sports opportunities and support to veterans and first responders who have served honorably and have suffered permanent physical injuries. Stylists volunteer their time to come and cut dirty, muddy hair. I give major props to them since they did not have sinks to clean hair in. They average about $500 in donations but on this day the 7 stylists really stepped it up and by noon they had already raised over a $1000 and had a waiting list to try to get a haircut. I was muddy and dirty but man did my hair look good when I left.

Looking ahead there are plans in the works for expanding the Merrell Down and Dirty Run to come to more cities next year so be on the lookout. Also, be on the lookout for some Merrell barefoot shoes that are road running specific to hit store shelves for the Spring ’12 season. On the race packet the last instruction was to have fun and give at least 3 volunteers high fives. Done and done. To all of those volunteers that I didn’t get to high five and to the behind the scenes people at MESP for making the day something to remember here is an air high five. I will try to give more high fives next time.

why team merrell

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:46:00 GMT

I remember the moment very clearly.... armed with our team’s resume of race wins for the year, I walked into the Merrell booth at the Outdoor Retailers Show. I assumed our wins and accomplishments was what Sue Harvey Brown from Merrell wanted to hear about, but as I got about halfway through the list, Sue leaned over and put her hand on my arm. She said "Robyn, we LOVE you and the team, and it is not because of what you've won, it’s because of who you ARE". I still get goose bumps thinking about it. In an instant, I knew I had made the right choice in seeking out Merrell as the company we wanted to play with for the rest of our racing careers. I thanked God that I had finally found a real home with a company that "gets it".

In 2004, my teammates and I began racing as Team Merrell/Zanfel Adventure, and a new world class Adventure Racing team was born! We had collected a few big wins and top finishes, and I knew that Sue was very proud of us. It wasn't until 2005 however, that I realized how lucky and blessed we were in choosing Merrell as our team title sponsor.

Adventure Racing (or any adventure, for that matter!) is not about what you do or where you've been or even what you've won- it’s about who you are. You don't get to the finish line with ego and bravado; you get there with humility, teamwork, and grace. My most epic experiences in the outdoors have not been spent standing on the podium, but those very humane moments shared between my teammates and I. It is no coincidence that my memory bank over the past 15 years is not full of places we've been, but connections we’ve made in those moments of fear, triumph, defeat, joy. It is about those times when my teammates have been my heroes, my coaches, and my saviors… and when they’ve allowed me to be theirs.

The most important part of those memories is the moments of synergy, mixing strength and weakness for the good of the team, hurling toward the next checkpoint as one mind and one heart, unencumbered by ego or reproach for weakness, are the heart and soul of sport. It’s when we're firing on all four cylinders as a team, and creating synergy- that is the hallmark of a great adventure racing team. The beauty of pulling together as a team and striving for a seemingly unreachable goal is the glow that lights my heart when I'm not racing.

Experiencing that feeling with your best pals in the outdoors is what I wish for all of you. First of all, get outside! Take the time to embrace the day, live in the moment, and enjoy time with your friends. Relish in the joy of just being able to get out there and experience adventures with people closest to your heart. Second, let your teammates be your heroes, and have the courage to be theirs. There really is a magic in that, and you will be faster and happier because of it. When you're tired, give up your pack, when you can't turn the pedals over, take that tow line or a friendly push. Just know that letting someone be your hero for a moment is a true gift to them, and to you. This is the beauty of sport- the collective strength being used to your best advantage, the mutual respect through it all, the fact that you'll come out a better person by caring for others as much as you care for yourself.

The finish line is merely the happy ending to any journey-- because this kind of epic experience with your pals is too vast and meaningful to be pinned down to a place or a time, (although those things are fun to chase). Don’t get me wrong, I do love to win, but the most important thing to remember (in training, racing, or just life), is something that the Beatles said so eloquently... "And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make". So go make some love out there today! I can guarantee you that after 14 years of racing, that's the most important reward of all....

name the next barefoot shoe

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:04:00 GMT

Added Tree Value

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:42:00 GMT

According to a new study by the US Forest Service, trees affect your property with more than just shade. As GOOD reports, trees actually bump up the value of your land.

Using financial data is all the rage these days, mostly because it's what people respond to. Money talks! (Really loud. Especially with fun infographics.) And I'm all for utilizing the dollar signs to describe relationships if it can draw attention to things that have other kinds of value.

So before you start calculating dollars per square foot per raked leaf per moneybags, let's come up with some other equations of our own. Here are some other reasons why having trees around is the best investment you'll make this side of a shoebox under your mattress/high-yield savings account/pair of real wool socks.

Plant a Tree, Boost Your...Oxygenated Air Value

...Small Ecosystem Value

...Lifeblood Value

...Wilderness Value

"What do you think this tree's worth, Sam?" "I don't know, Jeb. I would estimate at least 2 units of wilderness, 20 points of fresh air and 18,000 joy dollars."

-KK

Going Primal

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:38:00 GMT

Sometimes we need to monkey around to remember the fun in life and the fun in running. Remember when you were a kid? The freedom of opening the door and running outside barefoot to chase your friends around the yard with no care in the world? Thanks barefoot…you’ve brought out the kid in us again!

Intrigued? Keep reading to hear how team Merrell and their 15 guests took on the NYC Barefoot Run for a weekend of enjoyment!

Last weekend we attended the 2nd Annual NYC Barefoot Run weekend with 15 guests that spanned from influential running editors and bloggers, to barefoot running gurus. The purpose of the weekend for us (Merrell) was to first and foremost have fun and to collectively find solutions to spread barefoot as the enjoyable, form focused, safe and fun activity that we have learnt it to be. As background, here at Merrell, barefoot has not just been a business driver but has been a culture driver. Sure we got in it for the opportunity, but it turned into much more. Rather than talking the talk, many of us are walking the walk, or barefooting the barefoot. Together we have embraced the movement and are transitioning to barefoot style running and a barefoot lifestyle. It is fun to see how a product collection can inspire and bring a company together in an activity that truly embodies the spirit of the brand – Let’s Get Outside. As a runner, what a better way to get outside than to run, and run barefoot where you can actually feel the outside under your feet!

Together with our guests we embraced the weekend. Saturday morning we met in the lobby of the hotel to head down to barefoot running clinics taught by the likes of Jason Robillard (our Merrell barefoot ambassador and founder of the Barefoot Running University), Dr. Mark Cucuzzella (a family doc, owner of Two Rivers Treads and partner in the Natural Running Center), and Barefoot Ted (a barefoot running guru and independent athlete committed to re-discovering primal human capacities.) After a run down 5th Ave (literally) we, along with other NYC Barefoot Run participants, learned about form, proper breathing and education, and really began to immerse ourselves in the barefoot world (potty squats and all.) It was an amazing opportunity for all of us to learn from the best in the barefoot world. Next stop, our Merrell hosted symposium (or as we like to call it our Barefoot Jam session.)

Beers, coffee and lunch proved good icebreakers! 17 Merrell guests and seven Merrell executives sat shoeless on comfy couches and chairs to jam on the Barefoot movement. Our very own marketing guru and chief Barefoot fun officer, Craig Throne, moderated the discussion which fostered key points that we collectively felt would make Barefoot running a movement rather than a trend. Where are all the women? How will kids drive the movement forward (they are the next generation of healthy runners, why not teach them now)? What is the next level of education? How do we properly get retailers to educate consumers on proper form? How do we get the mainstream to see the benefit and not just the oddity? All of these topics lit a hot discussion that we hope benefited everyone in the room. Time was up and we were off to the Merrell Hydration Party that for some, was a late and indulgent evening. Speakers like Dr. Daniel Lieberman, Chris McDougall and our ambassador Jason Robillard spoke on barefoot running. Good times were had by all!

Sunday morning at the crack of dawn, we scurried off to the 2nd annual NYC Barefoot Run. A few of us in TuTus, one in a cape and 400 participants we were ready to run our distance. Quickly, everyone became kids once again and were able to run (play) with friends and enjoy the beautiful day on Governor’s Island. Avocados, bananas, paleo granola, carbs in the form of beer and water fueled our run. When else can you eat an avocado with no utensils? Or see a newly engaged couple be pulled by Barefoot Ted in a rickshaw around the island? Together, newbie runners, pure barefooters, and runners in “barefoot” shoes ran their distance of choice and rediscovered what it means to run natural.

Thanks to the NYC Barefoot Run Crew and our guests for an epic weekend!

Guests included:
Warren Greene – Runner’s World
Amby Burfoot – Runner’s World
Adam Chase – Running Times
Curt Munson - Playmakers
Jay Dicharry- UVA Endurosport
Peter Larson - Runblogger
Nicholas Pang – Minimalist Running Shoes, Natural Running Center
Pablo Paster - Treehugger
Justin Owings – Birthday Shoes
Josh Sutcliffe – Barefoot Josh
Dr. Mark Cucuzzella - Natural Running Center
Christian Peterson – Maple Grove Barefoot Guy
Katie Kift - Barefoot KatieK
Tucker Goodrich - Yelling Stop blog
Jesse Scott - In Search of Solid Ground
Jason Robillard - Barefoot Running University
Shelley Robillard - Shoeless Shelbell

Take a Look at Origins

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:31:00 GMT

It’s hard to keep good news a secret.

The only things I can typically keep to myself are: who ate the last of the dessert, inside jokes, and humming. Ok and that’s not even true, since A. that was me (it was pie, sorry). And B. & C.…those are never quiet for long. So it’s pretty impressive that Merrell Origins has been keeping a big, huge internet-shaped secret for all this time. (Drumroll)

Merrell Origins has a TUMBLR!

Now that we’ve got that off our chests, come join us over at merrellorigins.tumblr.com, where we’ve been quietly reblogging our Origins posts to get our feet wet. We want to make sure we connect with you outside, inside, and internet-side. Give us a shout when you have stories, photographs, and adventures to share. If you need a friendly reminder of where we started, get to know the blog.

For now, just pretend we're your crazy uncle who's been living under a rock (literally or figuratively) for most of your life and are just now emerging into the blogosphere, maybe with some really artsy under-rock photos, and really need some Tumblr friends. And don't worry, we won't traverse far. You can always find us here.

We Get Outside... Just Like You!

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:31:00 GMT

We Get Outside...Just Like You!

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:05:00 GMT

We Get Outside...Just Like You!

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:36:00 GMT

I am MERRELL Megan Turner

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:43:00 GMT

I am Team Merrell: Robyn Benincasa

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:34:00 GMT

Name: Robyn Benincasa

Nickname: I'm sure there are many. :) My Adventure Racing friends used to call me The Human Cockroach

Home Town: Cardiff Ca

Sports: Adventure Racing, Ultra Paddling, Ultra Cycling, Ultra Elliptigo!

How I got into AR/Ultra-everything: I was racing Ironman Triathlons for 5 or so years and discovered that the more gnarly the conditions, the better I placed. So I began to look for longer, sillier events. In 1994 I read about the Raid Gauloises, the "Worlds Toughest Adventure Race" in Runners World, and soon thereafter I found myself at the start line of the Raid Gauloises in Borneo with an all-female team. After 9 non stop days of muddy, leachy terrain and death-defying whitewater, I was hooked! Yadda yadda yadda, I've since competed in over 36 Expedition Competitions on 5 continents, from nearly every Eco-Challenge, to multiple Raids, Southern Traverses, Primal Quests, World Championships, etc. Being on the podium for Team Merrell is very cool, but the most memorable experiences come from those moments of synergy in which the team is operating on one heart and one mind, doing whatever it takes to get one another across that finish line. It's a life altering experience to say the least.

What the Outdoors Means to me:
Connection to others, to our bodies, to those who have come and gone before us, and to the beauty of the world. Sometimes during a run or hike I have to stop and take it all in because its so heartbreakingly beautiful to be alive.

5 tips for getting into my sports:
*choose great TEAMmates over athletic superstars
*Learn to navigate--if you can orienteer/navigate you can get on awesome teams quickly *Always bring little tow lines (5 feet of 4ml shock cord with a carabiner on the ends), salt tabs, and a balaclava to regulate temp. *Wear thin, non cotton socks and shoes that drain and dry easily. You WILL be wet! I dig Wigwam Ironman socks and Merrell Cruise Controls as a combo.
*Check out the US Adventure Racing Association www.usara.com for races in your area. There are tons of fun events from 2 hrs to 3 days

My greatest accomplishment to date is:
*Winning the Raid Gauloises in Ecuador and the EcoChallenge in Borneo *Breaking 2 Guinness World Paddling Records for "longest distance paddled in a kayak in 24 hours by a female" this year (flat water and moving water) *The fact that my boyfriend didn't leave me after picking me up out of a boat I had literally been in for 460 miles (43 hours)in a race down the Yukon River last Summer. Now THAT's love.

When I was little I wanted to grow up to be:
*A Teacher
*A firefighter
*a professional athlete
*a superhero
*other: ALL OF THE ABOVE, and a veterinarian. 3ish out of 5 isn't bad!

The most amazing place I've ever competed was:
*Patagonia, Argentina

The Best Advice I Would Give Fellow Athletes is:
Never stop searching for what inspires you and where your unique talents lie. Its a process of elimination, but when you find your sweet spot (distance, sport, passion, the right team/solo), its amazing how quickly you begin to be competitive, if that's your goal. And whether you're competitive or not, I've discovered that the finish line is usually pretty anticlimactic compared to the moments out there along the way. The finish line and how you placed is rarely ever a true indicator of your experience out there, and THAT's the part your friends and family want to hear about. So don't get caught up in the numbers! The stories are always far more compelling.

My Favorite thing to do after a long race/challenge is: *celebrate with friends and teammates *eat and drink to replenish my body *rest and relax *move on to the next thing, I never really stop ALL OF THE ABOVE!

What keeps me going when the competition gets tough is: *Realizing that nothing I'm going through will hurt as badly as the memory of quitting or giving up. I fast forward my brain to my happy place, sitting with my parents and friends in their warm house telling the stories of the adventure and realize that its up to me, right now, which story I will be telling.

The one movie I've seen a million times and still love to watch is: *The Sound of Music

One of my secret success tips is:
*2 hip replacements. Ha! Modern technology is pretty cool. I wouldn't be upright anymore without em. And hey, the process lead to lots of paddling, so there was a silver lining.

My favorite competitive activity is:
Running
Biking
Swimming
Rowing
Can't choose one...I love them all!
Other: Paddling, Standup Paddling, Hiking, Mountain Biking,

Best Training Food:
*Nutella, PB+J, anything that ends in "...O's"

Life's too short to...
*miss a day of telling your pals/family how awesome they are *obsess about ripped abs or time splits. The unknown and imperfection of things is part of the adventure!

If I could only wear one pair of Merrells for the rest of my life, I'd wear: Cruise Controls or Seismics

Project Athena

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:19:00 GMT

There are some races where you go out, run the race, and at the end ask "what cause was this for again?" Project Athena is not one of them. Everyone who is participating in the race is either a survivor, or a friend or family member, supporting them and encouraging them to achieve their dreams.

People dress up like gods and goddesses, or wear matching camouflage tutu's, along with many other fun outfits to show their team spirit and support.

The events are great and every one has so much fun, whether they are running in the race, searching for their next clue with their teammates for the adventure scavenger hunt... and let's not forget the kids challenge! The mini gods and goddesses kids challenge has a giant inflatable obstacle course for kids to go through during the race. The kids are all simles as they jump out of the bouncy obstacle course and make their way to the finish line.

Project Athena creates such an overwhelming feeling of positive energy and support, it is hard to put into words without actually being there to experience it for yourself. If you or someone you know is a survivor, or if you just want to be a part of this special celebration of beating the odds and achieving dreams, then join Project Athena in celebrating survivors!

Outdoors, Together

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:17:00 GMT

We all like to wax poetic about solo trailblazing.

Maybe a car ride on the open road without a passenger, or an unaccompanied hike into the wilderness. Losing yourself in a long jog around the lake. We all need quiet time and space, especially in this crazy old world of hustle and bustle and distraction and…wait let me just read this other thing over here first. Now where was I?

As much as we want to pioneer adventures on own, though, bringing friends along is a whole different, wonderful, outdoor ballgame. Even one will suffice.

A Few Prime Reasons to Explore Outdoor Spaces Together
(cue Doublemint commercial)

1. Transportation: Arguments over steering aside, canoe paddling is easier with two. And if you’re hiking, piggybacking is key: Phew! Just carry me for a while.
2. Conversation: You get to have it! With someone else! (Of the Homo sapiens sapiens variety)
3. Eyes: You’ve literally doubled your sights on the landscape. Who knows what your friend sees over the next ridge that you may have missed.
4. Snacks: More of them. What's that you say, traveling companion? You are preparing massive quantities of trailmix, heavy on the candy? Yes, you may join.
5. Musical Entertainment: Harmony practice. And Row Your Boat in rounds!

Bottom line is: The More the Merrier, Sharing is Caring, and S’Mores Taste Better in Groups. Plus all other common euphemisms for connecting yourself with the people around you and the great outdoors.

I’ve got a whole stack of these fun friend facts in my back pocket. Bring me on your next excursion and I’ll tell you some more.

Your Acquaintance,

Speaking of friends...have you connected with Merrell Origins on Facebook yet?

Merrell Road Glove Review

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 06:14:00 GMT

The Merrell Road Glove. Simply put, it is to roads what the Trail Glove is to trails.

Merrell took the formula that made the Trail Glove a success, worked out a few details based on feedback from the barefoot running community, and developed a shoe that did exactly what a good minimalist shoe should- make you forget it’s there.

Before I get to the actual review, it should be known that I work with Merrell to develop and conduct barefoot running education. Our effort is known as Bareform, and we use the “ABC’s of barefoot running” as our clinic format. I’ve talked about my decision to work with them before here. The short version- they were the first (and I think only) shoe company that acknowledged being barefoot was best, and their shoes were designed to give protection without interfering with natural form.

Anyway, I like to fully disclose this because of the potential conflict of interest. If you have any doubts about my impartiality, try them yourself. Before going to the store, read this article on selecting the right shoe for you.

The Elusive Road Running Minimalist Shoe
My perfect minimalist shoe for road running needs the following qualities:

Zero drop heel- raised heels mess with my posture, which affects balance and causes me knee pain.
Minimal cushioning- My body is more than capable of absorbing the minimal ground collision forces as I kiss the ground with my feet.
Wide toe box- gotta let the toes splay!
Sole that provided a flat platform- The road is flat; I need my shoes to provide that same surface.

That’s about all I need, yet no shoe really fit the bill. My Luna huaraches are close, but aren’t great in wet conditions. My now-ancient KSOs were good, but I don’t always want separated toes. EVOs has a weird toe box flex. Frees and Kinvaras had a raised heel. Altras were too padded. Kigos were too narrow. Bikilas didn’t fit my toes well. I could go on and on…

When Merrell told me they were in the process of designing a road shoe, I immediately gave them my list of demands and one more request- do all of this but don’t lose the magic of the Trail Glove.

I know they received a ton of feedback from a lot of different sources, so my suggestions probably had minimal impact. Regardless, they listened.

Testing Conditions
Since it is a road shoe, I figured the best first run would be… around the Eldora Ski Resort west of Nederland, Colorado! The route was a tough technical 15 mile out and back with 3000′ of elevation gain (8,000′ to ~11,000′.) The second run was up Round Mountain west of Loveland, CO. The third run was the Mt. Sneffles Marathon on gravel roads from Ridgway to Ouray, Colorado. By the fourth run, I finally did some asphalt running.

The Road Glove
The best way to describe the Road Glove is to compare it to the Trail Glove. The fit is nearly identical, as is the function. The shoe hugs your feet in roughly the same places, while allowing freedom where needed.

When first wearing the shoe, one difference is noticeable. The sole of the Road Glove does not touch the arch of your foot as the Trail Glove did. Many people mistakenly called this “arch support.” It didn’t provide support, it was intended to keep the foot in place inside the shoe when traversing gnarly mountainous trails. Since most people won’t be using the Road Glove for mountainous running, this was eliminated.

The upper is a little softer than the trail glove, which gives it a little bit more flexibility. It also has a sockless liner much like the Trail Glove. Aside from these minor details, the upper feels much like a hybrid between the Trail Glove and Sonic Glove.

The real difference, which is felt immediately, comes from the sole. heh Sorry about that one. Back on task…

The sole of the Road Glove is pancake flat. Compare that to the Trail Glove, which had a fairly aggressive tread for trails. That tread was spectacular on trails, but kinda sucked on roads. The Road Glove sole solves this problem by flattening all lugs and tread. This is the single thing that made this such a huge improvement for road running. The foot landing feels exactly like landing when wearing a huarache- which is exactly what makes it so good.

As far as other characteristics- the shoe is fairly well ventilated and dried quickly. During the mountain runs, I traversed several streams and snow fields, which provided a pretty good test. The shoe kept my foot in place well when wet.

The Omni-lock lacing system was removed, as it shouldn’t be necessary for road running. However, I did miss it during my mountain runs. With the Trail Gloves, I could tighten the top lace to prevent slippage while still maintaining good toe splay.

Traction was surprisingly good on the rocky mountain trails… definitely on-par with the Trail Glove. In mud, the flat sole didn’t perform too well. On roads, the conditions the shoe was designed for, traction was excellent even on wet asphalt.

Overall Thoughts… The Good
The shoe is a nearly perfect road shoe for barefoot and minimalist runners. It allows barefoot form while still providing protection. This pretty much sums up the positive characteristics of the shoe.

Overall Thoughts… The Bad
There are a few negatives. On my first two runs, the collar around my Achilles cut into my left foot. The problem disappeared after the first 20 miles or so, which may just have been a form issue. I haven’t had the problem since, but I am eager to test a second pair as a comparison. [EDIT- after confirming with Merrell, the collar height on the Road Glove is identical to the Trail Glove. To confirm that this was an isolated problem, I tested a second pair of shoes and did not have an issue.]

I would like to have seen the Omni-fit system on the shoes for one reason- they make BAD ASS Crossfit shoes. The ability to cinch the laces more would have been beneficial when doing box jumps.

The color schemes still have a distinctive outdoor feel, though much less than the Trail Gloves. This is a strong personal preference, but I like loud colors. Note- there are color combinations I haven’t seen yet. This may be a moot point. [Edit- I just saw the rest of the available colors- MUCH better than my test pair!]

I should mention toe spring before it comes up in the comments. First, I think toe spring in flexible minimalist shoes is an overblown concern. It simply doesn’t affect gait. I discussed the issue here. Second, the toe spring evident in the pictures disappears in actual function. It keeps the upper from pinching the tops of the toes.

Unintended Uses
This shoe is more or less guaranteed to be one of the first choices for barefoot and minimalist shoe runners searching for a road shoe. However, I think it’s hidden value comes from its other possible uses. As I mentioned above, it has become my favorite functional fitness shoe due to the fit and flat sole. Crossfitters will LOVE it… too bad they seem to have abandoned their love of minimalist shoes in favor of those Reebok posers…

The shoe could also be the answer as a minimalist court shoe. I don’t play too many court-like sports, but I did run around a tennis court for awhile. Traction was good. Most importantly, balance was excellent! It wouldn’t surprise me if people start using these shoes for all kinds of court sports… volleyball, tennis, four-square, even basketball.

The shoes will also serve as better casual shoes than Trail Gloves due to the sole. I’ve worn mine for extended periods of walking, standing, and driving. The shoes performed all tasks admirably.

Conclusion
The Road Glove is exactly what it should be- a road shoe that doesn’t interfere with natural gait. Merrell took the formula that worked for the Trail Glove and applied it to this shoe. The shoe isn’t perfect, but it works exceptionally well for me. If you are in the market for a minimalist shoe for the road, this should be on your short list of shoes you MUST try.

Merrell and Barefoot Running
I have a unique position. I routinely talk to lots of barefoot and minimalist shoe runners, and also get occasional glimpses into the inner-workings of Merrell. No other company has done a better job of reading what the barefoot and minimalist crowd wants, then putting that into action. The result is obvious- a bunch of damn good shoes.

Unlike most other companies that rely on data or marketers to develop shoes, Merrell cares about all feedback. It’s the reason they actually want me to talk about the things I don’t like about their shoes. To make the best possible shoes, they need the best possible feedback. That feedback can only come from the trenches.

To that end, feel free to discuss the things you like and the things you dislike when these shoes hit the market. Merrell will be dramatically expanding their minimalist offerings in the spring based on the varied feedback they received. Please continue that dialogue!!!

I am MERRELL: Liz Runey

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:05:00 GMT

Our first week in South America!

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:25:00 GMT

After a summer of climbing mountains in Colorado, we made it to South America for our 10-month long adventure south of the border!

Our first week in South America has been a blast! We flew into Buenos Aires and spent our first week there based out of the San Telmo neighborhood. The city of Buenos Aires is a beautiful city and is the 17th largest metropolitan area in the world with about 14 million people (according to wikipedia). BA experienced major growth in the late 1800s and early 1900s with a huge influx of Spanish and Italian immigrants…and the architecture reflects this. A large portion of the original buildings have been well-maintained, and the room we rented in a loft was no exception. Overall, the look of the city is very 'european': BA more resembles Madrid than it does Mexico City, more resembles Rome than it does Lima.

We love food, and have really enjoyed dining Argentine-style. Argentines typically have a light breakfast of bread and espresso, then (after several more espressos throughout the morning) at 1 or 2 they start a large lunch which can easily last two hours, then they have a lighter dinner at around 9. Even though most Argentines in the bigger cities don't partake in a siesta, Kirsten and I wanted to promote the old way of doing things and enjoyed a light snooze after lunch.

This past Sunday was a chilly spring day, so I put my Merrell Origins Eagle Down Shirt and Eagle Origins Boots to good use. The shirt kept me warm without being overly hot, and the boots were stylish and sturdy for the long walk on the cobblestone streets.

One of the highlights of staying in San Telmo was having quick access to the San Telmo street market that takes place every Sunday and stretches for several city blocks and lasts from morning until after dark.

After a week of exploring Buenos Aires, we have moved west: we have arrived in Cordoba, Argentina on our way to the base of the Andes in Mendoza, Argentina!

Music for Your Outsides

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:52:00 GMT

When you can't get outside, music can help.

Whether you're stuck at a work, got lost in an internet vortex, or just can not make time to spend outdoors, it helps to have a little push. Sometimes you need a driving rhythm or a simple melody to get you out of the clutches of your desk chair. Here are some audio visual aids to help wean your glassy eyes off of the fall television lineup and get inspired to think about the spaces outside your front door: music videos set oudoors, videos with music about the outdoors, outdoor videos about music...take your pick.

7 videos for your "Music for Outsides" playlist (feel free to watch fullscreen):

Surf Erie
Monster Rally's wafting surf rhythms are a perfect match for the lapping lake and blurred sparklers. Video creator Tyler Coray gives us one for the summer times.

Golden Tree
Set to Martin Brooks' blues, this looks like something the filmmaker casually captured on a regular weekend daytrip: No big deal! Just practicing no-handed bike riding with my friends! Let's hope some of these moves translate– get ready for the Doggy Paddle and Laser Eyes coming to a dance floor or a sidewalk near you.

Whale
Yellow Ostrich reminds us that everyone could use a good old-fashioned run through the woods. Right?

White Winter Hymnal
This stop-motion music video for Fleet Foxes manages to focus on the beautiful details of its starry outdoor setting, even when they are made of clay. How do you make beard hairs sway in the wind? My fingers hurt just watching it.

Lifetime Video Zine #3 with Chad VanGaalen
If you haven't already checked out Lifetime Collective, now's the time to get on board. Apparel is a part of their larger project to bring together artists and people doing interesting work: this video zine captures musiciain Chad VanGaalen in moments strolling outside with his ukelele. And bonus performance points for his sense of humor and indoor skate ramp. OK, yes some of it is indoors...just close your eyes and imagine for that part.

In the Dirt
Kids! Winter hats! A very different kind of wilderness (urban, snowy), but a perfect one for S. Carey to accompany.

Amor Fati
Washed Out's warm synthesizers takes us along rambling roads, as the protagonist travels across Iceland, stopping at the occasional house party and sheep farm along the way. After watching the video, I'll be locating the nearest waterfall by which to brush my teeth. See ya!

We'll be sharing Merrell Origins favorites at VHX, so join us there, where you can see what we are watching and create your own outdoor playlists to inspire.

Good Clean Fun

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:55:00 GMT

Ever feel like you don't have enough resources to know how to start an adventure?

Nope. Probably not. The amount of information out there is a wide expanse of outdoors knowledge, with everything from magazines to television programs, and this tiny little corner we like to call the world wide web. You can find upteen reviews of climbing spikes in one moment and learn how to paddle a canoe in the next. Only takes a click to buy your very own doubles hammock!

But it can also be overwhelming: five different recipes for homemade trail mix is too many to choose (I only want the candy pieces, please), I'm not sure I can take enough days off of work to summit the Alps this weekend (we'll see about October, though), and which outdoors message board do I trust?!

And that is why I like this family camping feature that Better Homes & Gardens published in 1961.

The 1960s was another time...we'll just call it The Dark Ages. When you couldn't get gear reviews online or see tweets of travels minute-by-minute. When the outdoor blogging community was still in print. Here is a simple guide to how to "Enjoy Carefree Camping!" The publication includes simple instructions for selecting a good campsite, checklists for your equipment, and "good ways to fill free time." The cheery calls for kids, parents, and yes, even women, to enjoy the outdoors together all seem a little dated and a lot like a Lassie episode for our modern eyes (headlines include "Modern Camping for Modern Women" and "Children Like Camping Excitement"), but the enthusiasm is simple and laid out for everyone to experience.

Not to romanticize the time before internet, but I'm going to romanticize the time before the internet here for a minute. Back in The Dark Ages, guides like these provided instruction and motivation for families to enjoy an outdoor experience that was previously considered only for experts. And there was no Angry Birds to distract you.

The wealth of information we have now is really just a wider group of the personal diaries, manuals, catalogues, and postcards that have always made up the collective people-going-outside experience. It's definitely more spread out. But the breadth also makes you appreciate the personal stories, the in-depth accounts, whether it's with images or sound or prose.

So maybe it's not so much the how-to's and the what-to-do's, but the inspirational resources you are looking for, in pursuit of your next adventure. And those are the gems you take two extra Google searches for.

In print,

Blind Lake Ambition

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:29:00 GMT

"Branding 10,000 Lakes" creates and then answers a Herculean challenge:

Give each one of Minnesota’s lakes a visual identity that captures its character beyond the water’s edge.

As designer Nicole Meyer affirms, logos for lakes are usually just plain ugly. So she plans to create a new design for each lake. Her realistic enthusiasm is refreshing, as this is a huge project estimated at 27 years, creating a new logo each day until all the lakes are logo-ed (or at least until someone tells Nicole Meyer that there are actually more than 10,000 lakes and she gives up the last 5 years). Oh and she does it beautifully.

This ambitious challenge to create daily makes other designers look like they’re taking their sweet time: meeting with clients, sketching, redrafting, finalizing. Lollygaggers!

Each day, Meyer works with a different one of 10,000 (plus) tough customers to design for: ever-moving water, changing shorelines, the intangibles of an outdoor experience. No wonder lakes need a PR boost.

10,000 (and more) is a big number to throw around. And like many other states (“This many mountains!” “xyz miles of trails!”) Minnesota is pretty proud and often uses quantity to describe its incredible landscape. Appreciating each one of the individual lakes is the challenge. So while a logo for each lake is a simple idea, it lends some color to each piece of that behemoth 10,000-lake-shaped pie.

Logos will not replicate the experience of a lake, but they may be an attractive reminder to make the trek to the waters or a good bookmark for you to return. And why not have a beautiful representation of your lake? What an amazing intersection of design and outdoors.

Head over to Branding 10,000 Lakes for new lake logos every day. Literally, every single day.

Did I mention that Minnesota has more than 10,000 lakes?

To the Quivering Forest

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:12:00 GMT

Fleet Foxes is the perfect harmony for your drive to the outdoors.

This video, shot in Paris back when the band was "getting big" (We've become very interested in knowing someone before the peak of their popularity bell curve. Remember, "hipness" is really a matter of dates), follows the gentlemen through a decidedly urban setting.

Fleet Foxes seems a bit out of place here, as they walk through the Paris streets and parkways. They wear vests and boots and a comfortable nonchalance that suggests their native Seattle more then upscale Paris chic. (But perhaps by 2008, Paris fashion was catching up to the Pacific Northwoodsman. Remember, "hipness" is a matter of dates). Here it seems they stumble onto an open space to perform: the vocals are echoed, the whitewashed background is not exactly picturesque.

And yet they make music about traveling to the countryside. Of a place far away from structured architecture or streets, a place that sounds wild. They could show you that mountain or that forest, and many times they do use rich visuals to accompany their music, but it speaks for itself. This is how Fleet Foxes succeeds: they can transport you to a place of their telling.

So when you're driving out of the city this weekend, here's your soundtrack. And if you are still quite a ways from the nearest "quivering forest" and you need to cheat, use their lush melodies and rolling rhythms to imagine your own landscape.

Still working out the hip-chronology,

Give a Hoot

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:54:00 GMT

Woodsy Owl was created for the first Earth Day in 1970.

The National Forest Service apparently needed a mascot that:

1. Encouraged kids to take care of the nature around them
2. Got along well with Smokey
3. Rhymed incessantly

To aid in his mission of environmental protection, Woodsy needed some pretty particular gear. Luckily his outfit is written into US Law: "The term Woodsy Owl means the name and representation of a fanciful owl, who wears slacks (forest green when colored), a belt (brown when colored), and a Robin Hood style hat (forest green when colored) with a feather (red when colored), who furthers the slogan, Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute."

The awesome thing about Woodsy Owl was that the campaign got kids and their families involved in nature. In a world where some of the most recognizable icons are fast food chains or sports mascots, it's impressive that little Woodsy had such likability. Getting people to think about the environment and encourage outdoor adventure is a challenge, so Woodsy had a toolbelt of paraphernalia to remind you: bumper stickers, stuffed animals, songs, PSAs, zipper pulls.

Woodsy did look a touch strange when appearing as a live-action mascot costume, but kids love the darndest things.

Woodsy Owl could seem dated these days...no fancy blockbuster-style action effects and a wholesome message. He's gotten a few updates recently, now looking like a Skinnier Woodsy Owl, with pants and soled shoes (wait are those Wilderness boots he's wearing??) and he even has his own Facebook page. But his message, created in another era, is more important now than ever. Getting younger generations excited about being outdoors and interested in protecting their surroundings is a cause that demands a million mascots. Luckily we've got a fanciful owl and excellent organizations doing good work to start.

With that I say: Give a Hoot, Put On a Boot (And go outside!)

PSA-ready,

Postcard to July

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:02:00 GMT

Now that we've blazed through the Labor Day Weekend finish line, summer is pretty much out.

Don't look too surprised, as you were duly informed and fully warned. So while we are all busy sweating in our new fall school clothes, I've got this video on loop.

Talk about dreamy summer times. Monster Rally's Surf Erie sounds like the perfect background to a long luau-themed nap in the shade. And the video by Tyler Coray mixes the band's surf sounds with fleeting shots of a camping trip to the Olympic peninsula, creating a veritable postcard to summer.

I'd say the postcard goes something like this:

Dear July,

You're the best.

Sincerely,
Monster Rally

Or if they wrote really small and utilized all corners of the postcard:

Dear July,

You're the best! It looks so different over here without you. You were always hot enough to jump in the lake. And you made tent staking so much easier with soft ground. I can still taste your s'mores.

Come visit us before the equinox, ok?

Sincerely,
Monster Rally

P.S.: Still laughing about our inside joke with the colored smoke bombs!! We sure had a lot of those.

You know that crackling fireplace video loop that department stores and other fireplace-less souls play during the winter months? Well maybe I can just have a continuous loop of Surf Erie on a flat screen in my kitchen. It will be a permanent background of forest walks and lake swims and bonfires to get me to the next July. All to the tune of tropical jams.

Now who wants to donate a flat screen TV to a good cause?

Until the equinox,

Merrell Origins Lookbook for Summer/Fall

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:46:00 GMT

Look! Look!

Someoddpilot is taking us outside via beautiful lookbook for Merrell Origins' Summer/Fall collection. The Wilderness, Solo, and Eagle join for a walk in the woods, complete with friends and trails for inspiration.

Whip out some binoculars over your lunch break and head over to the slideshow for some inspiration. We'll be outside waiting!

Peep and run,

Labor Day Zen Panic

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:13:00 GMT

Don’t panic, but all bets are off after Labor Day weekend.

OK we’ve got to panic a little bit, because this is your last ditch effort for summertime. Come Tuesday, the various stages of summer vacation dream in which we’ve all been floating will quietly transform into a familiar kind of harried bustle. Kids are back in the classroom and suddenly your boss is not so understanding about you sneaking out at noon on a Friday. And the temperature will no longer demand watermelon for 3 meals a day. Wait, how does the oven work? And now we all have to wear pants?!

So let’s say we all need to panic just enough to get ourselves to a state of Labor Day Zen. We need to hurry up and relax..work ourselves into a fit of calm to buffer this transition. That’s where The Weekend Lake comes in.

This slice of life up at the weekend cabin is the epitome of chill: wonderful shots of scenery, a solid canoe ride, dogs practicing water safety. And you know we love a good rock skipper, right?

These shots are great inspiration for planning your long weekend, whether at the lake, a cabin, or anyplace in between for Labor Day. You need but a few additional ingredients: some family/friends, a peaceful locale, good food, or all of the above. Bubbles are optional, depending on mood. Talent shows, naps, and midnight swims are highly recommended.

If you get too relaxed by end of the weekend, don’t say I didn’t tell you so. And by “tell you so” I mean, tell you to take Tuesday off ahead of time. Somebody's got to think ahead amidst the stresses of easy-breathing. Phew.

Where is your “Weekend Lake”?

Heading up North,

Great Heights

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:43:00 GMT

Last week, three Americans made big news when they completed a big climb—the first recorded ascent of the world's second-highest unclimbed peak.

The mountain? Saser Kangri II in the Karakoram range of India. Since I haven't even gotten past the pronunciation yet (Jammies sounds like it could be a cozy Indian state, but probably not how you say it), I think I can mouth-gape for us all when I say: Wow.

Reaching those kinds of heights requires a lot more practice, equipment, skill, and grit than the rest of us amateur mountain-lovers can sweat out in a lifetime.

We continue to admire their feats, the long history of pioneers making new and different climbs. While we summit smaller peaks, hike day trips, practice on climbing walls, we are still very much in the same community: drawn by the tallest peaks, the widest rivers, the longest trails.

'In awe' is a very great height to reach.

Onward and upward,

P.S. Check out Climbing Magazine's extensive library of past covers for more faces and places they've featured since 1970.

Take Shelter

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:04:00 GMT

Mother Nature seems slightly upset, weather-speaking. Or at least it feels that way, with Hurricane Irene barreling through the Caribbean and toward the Eastern Seaboard.

As east coasters move inland, we think about finding shelter.

Herb Greene's prairie house looks warm and dry. Built on the prairies of Norman, Oklahoma, it is a simple construction, crafted of natural materials. The form is one of very particular design and purpose, coming out the organic movement of the 1960s.

Look Magazine dubbed the residence the "Prairie Chicken House" in 1961, because of its resemblance to that noble and admired animal, the prairie chicken. (It would be pretty easy to be the reporter who walks up and eloquently analyzes the design with "IT LOOKS LIKE A CHICKEN." We're all that guy.)

But this rather symbolic piece of architecture—now iconic for its kooky appearance in the middle of the prairies—incorporates many of the things we look for now in architecture. We have some fancy buzzwords we could use for its design: green technology, energy efficiency, natural ventilation, etc etc etc. But the architect's conscious purpose preempts our formal 21st century ideas of "green design," so it feels naive to call it that.

This house keeps you connected to the outside elements, while protecting you in its space. As Herb Greene himself describes, he designed this for his family in a way that makes the shelter seem alive and human. So the Prairie Chicken House seems to be an extension of the land it's on, while simultaneously protecting its inhabitants.

And if it's protecting us with a chicken head and a hen's coat of feathers...sign me up. Take shelter.

LEED rating pending,

Our Final 2 Weeks in the Wilderness – Week 6 and 7

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:32:00 GMT

Total Miles Hiked this Summer: 240 Miles
Total Elevation Gained this Summer: 98,000 ft

Well, with 5 peaks left before we reach our summer goal of 36 peaks, we will unfortunately come up a little short. After Kirsten’s knee problems in Chicago Basin, we decided to take it easier with more rest days between peaks. After climbing Longs peak yesterday, we reluctantly decided that it would be our last of the summer. Kirsten’s knee wasn’t getting any better and since she still needed it for South America, so we thought it was best to not push it.

After Chicago Basin, we took a few days off to see if Kirsten’s knee would improve. After a few days, we decided to continue climbing and drove up to Aspen to climb in the Elk Range. Our first peak to climb in the Elks was Castle Pk. The Elks are a beautiful range and Castle was no exception. Castle holds a lot of snow throughout the entire year, so we finally got some use out of our ice axes and microspikes.

Next up in the Elks was going to be Maroon Peak and Pyramid Peak. However, since it was a weekend, the Maroon Bells overnight lot was full so we headed back to Buena Vista to continue making progress and finish up some peaks in the Sawatch.

Back in the Buena Vista area, we still needed to summit Mt Harvard and Missouri Mountain. Earlier in the summer we hadn’t been able to traverse from Mt Columbia to Mt Harvard due to extremely strong winds and lack of visibility. Also, we had substituted Missouri Mountain with Pikes Peak so that we could make an emergency stop at the apple store in CO Springs to get our Mac working again (turns out we needed a new hard drive). We had chosen to hold off on Missouri Mountain in particular because it has a deep and wide river crossing at the beginning of the 4WD road leading to its trailhead. Due to all the spring snow Colorado received this year, it would have been impossible for our Xterra to cross it back in early July, making the hike much longer. Later in the summer we knew we would be fine.

Since we had already been up to the Horn Fork Basin to summit Mt Columbia, we decided to climb Harvard from the much less traveled route on the eastern slopes. It turned out to be a beautiful hike, most of it on open tundra. The hike was 11 miles round trip and 4,120 ft of elevation gain.We were thinking we’d take a full two days off between mountains, but after a day off, we decided it was time to climb Missouri Mountain. The river crossing was intimidating, but not a problem at all for the Xterra. The route up Missouri was short and sweet: 3,200 ft of elevation gain over only 2.7 miles (5.4 miles round trip). We made quick work of it and were back in Buena Vista that afternoon.

After Missouri, the next peak north on our list would have been Mt of the Holy Cross, near Vail. However, the forest service had decided to close the road leading up to the trailhead for the entire summer in order to cut down the pine trees that had been killed by the pine beetle. The next best route would have been much longer and not on a trail, so we decided that mountain will have to wait until next summer.

Since Mt of the Holy Cross was off the agenda, we decided to hit a peak nearby that Kirsten had yet to summit but was my first 14er ever, something like 10 years ago: Mt Massive.

We drove to the Mt Massive trailhead, intending to spend a day relaxing, then climb it the second day. Around noon of our rest day, however, we saw that the sky was clear and we decided to snag an afternoon summit. This was a Saturday, and on most Saturdays you would expect to encounter quite a few other hikers, however when we reached the summit around 4 pm, the last of the other hikers were leaving and we had the summit all to ourselves.

Our final goal of the summer was to climb Longs Peak. Longs Peak is a long hike (15 miles) and quite a bit of elevation gain (5,300 ft), so we had intentionally saved it for our last climb of the summer so that we’d be in good shape. Also, it is known for being ridiculously crowded — probably because it can be seen from so many front range cities and also because of the huge number of people visiting Rocky Mountain National Park — so we knew we wanted to climb it on a weekday. We wound up splitting the cost of an overpriced $20 campsite with a random guy we saw setting up his camp named Stuart. Stuart is from Summit County and into mountain biking so we had a lot to talk about. Since he was alone (except for his dog Lucy, who isn’t allowed on the Longs Pk trail or on any trail in RMNP for that matter) and he said he would like to hike with someone, we decided to hike with him. It turns out that he was a fast hiker which was nice…we started at 5 am, and averaged almost 3 mph up to the ‘keyhole’ and reached the summit in about 4 hours (past the ‘keyhole’ the route is single-file and you are only as fast as the slowest person on the mountain). Longs Peak is a great mountain with a magnificent 1,000 foot tall vertical northeast face overlooking you for most of the hike.

As we continued to push forward with these 14ers, Kirsten’s knee wasn’t getting any better – in fact, it was getting worse. After our tedious push on Longs, we decided enough was enough. It was a hard decision since we were so close to our goal but probably wise since we still had 10 months of exploring South America, not to mention, less than adequate health coverage since we left our jobs.

Now we’re headed to Denver for about a week to wrap some things up and then to Texas before we leave for South America in mid-September.

Get in the Water

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:22:00 GMT

We are reaching that twilight time of the summer months when opportunities for swim trunks and seaside trips are dwindling. Especially for anyone living in, say, 40 of the 50 states, when icy water may keep anyone from jumping into the lake.

At this late point in the game, I fear we may have forgotten how fun the beach can be. It has gotten a bad rap for its sundrenched laziness. And we are all busy looking ahead to the back-to-schools and fall temps, already missing some of the prime beachfront real estate for your umbrella in the last weeks of August.

Though not as immediately hair-raising/thrilling/dangerous as the much-beloved Shark Week of summer television, I think think we can all find something at our nearest bodies of water. Beaches mean an unabashed opportunity for playfulness: getting buried from the neck down, elaborate sand castle plans, running along the water. Swimming until wrinkled! When else can you get people excited by saying,"Hey guys, let's all go dig a HOLE!!?" Probably the best open swim you can find this side of the YMCA– a Last Chance Summer Beach Romance for you + water.

Some helpful reminders to jog your beach memory:

Straw hats and a nose of zinc oxide never go out of style. OK, they never go out of "fun".
Underwater frisbee is a game that requires a decent amount of practice and lung capacity.
Hermit crabs do not make lifelong pets. On the other hand, homemade seashell pictureframes are always a hit.
You may not be planning on a sand-eating contest, but your picnic and the beach gods may know otherwise.
Funny sunburn patterns will not be so funny tomorrow. (Insert serious sunscreen note here)
We have way too many beaches here to be permanent landlubbers.

Remember that ever-present magic where the shore meets the water--the slow lap of the lake, the rushing in and out of ocean waves--and it looks different in every light. The early morning surfers of the coasts, the raucous late-afternoon boardwalk beach-goers, and the late night shell-seekers are all drawn for different moments of the experience. And some of the best parts of state or national parks are the areas beyond the water's edge. Climbing the dunes and exploring the paths, seeing where the inlets lead, and taking your fishing pole to the docks are all adventures beyond your beach towel. It's your choice, to nap or not.

So let's get some urgency, some fire under our be-swimtrunked behinds. Go to the beach! Whether that's a day trip to the coast, or the lake around the corner. Let's all pile into the cars, trains, bikes and get there. Cram everything imaginable into a picnic basket, because swimming is a hungry sport. Strap on that bathing costume and toe-in to the water.

The beach is boring? The beach is a wonder.

Flocking like the salmon of Capistrano,

Chicago Basin – Week 5

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:03:00 GMT

14ers this Summer: 25
Miles this Sumer: 194 miles
Elevation Gained this Summer: 78,105 ft

Week 5 pretty much consisted of a few days off in Farmington with family and trying to bag the peaks in the Chicago Basin.

The Chicago Basin is a beautiful basin located between Durango and Silverton. The standard way to reach the three 14ers in this basin is via the touristy Durango-Silverton train. For $80, you can buy a ticket and take the train for 20-30 miles before it drops you off at the Needleton trailhead. From here, you hike an additional 6 miles to the base of Sunlight, Windom, and Eolus.

Because $80 each is a lot of money and because James assured me the additional miles you hike by not taking the train are “flat”, we opted to hike into the basin via the Purgatory Trail (with full packs mind you) the full 15 miles each way. With our longest hike in so far, you probably get the drift by now that it is a pretty remote place. James had taken the train into the basin the previous year with the intent of hitting all the peaks but due to the timing of his trip falling on Colorado’s monsoon season, he wasn’t able to hit all the peaks.

The basin and surrounding area had seen rain every day for the several days before we hiked in. We told ourselves that this was not a sign of what we would experience and surely the skies would clear before we hiked – they did not.

We started the hike as early as we could convince ourselves to get out of bed – a whopping 7am, and headed for Chicago Basin. Our plan was to hike all 15 miles in one day (they were “flat” miles, right?). About 4 miles in, my left knee started giving me problems. As if the looming thunderheads were not enough to dampen my excitement, the persistent pain added additional insult to injury. I hobbled along determined to get to that basin all the while wondering if $80 wouldn’t have been worth it. I thought about hiking out, but then what? If we or at least James wanted to summit these peaks, we would have to return and our schedule didn’t allow for losing days. I went a few more miles where we took a break at a sweet campsite right next to the Animas River. It was still early and luckily hadn’t started raining yet. Only 8 miles in, the campsite we were resting at started looking more and more appealing. I could see where we would put our tent and I could almost smell my Chicken Stew “Mountainhouse” dinner that I was supposed to eat that night. That was it. We were staying. We put up the tent just as we heard the Silverton bound train going by. We cleaned off at the river, built a fire, relaxed, made dinner and called it a night. Surprisingly, we never heard the train going back to Durango as it always does. This was odd.

Our plan for the next morning was to get up early, see how fast we could make it to our next campsite at the Chicago Basin and pray the weather was good enough for James to at least hit one peak that day. It had rained everyday; I’m not sure why we still held out hope but I didn’t see how else we would stay on schedule if he didn’t climb something that day. I had decided at this point that I just needed to get to the Basin so James could summit. I had lost all hope of summiting any of the peaks due to my knee (since I still had to hike 15 miles out) so I put all my hope on James that he could at least be successful and not leave the basin a second time without any summits. So, off we went. The trail was very straightforward so James hurried ahead of me dropped off his tent and pack at a camping spot in the basin hoping to hit a summit.

I made it up to the basin, found his pack, set up the tent and settled into my sleeping bag to take a nap while waiting for him to return like the good wife that I was. Alas, he came back unsuccessful – the clouds starting rolling in and he didn’t want to chance it. Probably a good idea since about an hour later, the thunder and lightning had started followed by an insane hail storm leaving an inch of white on the ground.

At this point, we were running low on food – not dangerously low but low enough to where James would only have one more day to attempt all the summits. This was quite a tall order. The next morning, he got up at 4am and headed out. Being more than halfway through our peak goal of the summer, James was in really good shape. He is also really fast (when I’m not hiking with him). He was able to summit all the peaks! I was really proud of him. I was back at camp packing up the tent and getting everything ready to head out when he arrived around noon. We still had 15 miles to go but after camping in the rain for 2 days, I was determined to hike all the way out. After only 4 miles, my feet hurt, my knee hurt, it was raining but we kept going. After a long day (even longer for James) we reached the car at 8pm.

Chicago Basin really is a beautiful place, with tons of wildlife. I’m looking forward to going back to see it from 14,000ft but with an injured knee and relentless rain, I must say, when we reached the car, I think it was one of my happiest moments on this trip.

As it turns out, we never heard the train returning to Durango because apparently sometime after we heard it go by, there was a mudslide and the train was stuck in Silverton for a few days while they cleared the mud and fixed the tracks. This was very unfortunate for the hikers who were waiting for it to pick them up and take them back to Durango. In the end, James’ idea of hiking in wasn’t such a bad one after all since chances are we wouldn’t have been able to catch it anyway.

Tutorial: The Un-Tutorial for Mountainbikes

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:19:00 GMT

In my experience, most bicycles are pretty easy to get along with.

You can make a pretty quick comfortable-friend connection with the typical cruiser, like that really outgoing person at parties who instantly looks you in the eye and compliments your shoes and lets you cut in line for the punch bowl.

Mountainbikes take some getting to know. It’s more along the lines of the friend of a friend who seems slightly elusive when you first meet, even though you end up at the same parties two weeks in a row. And then maybe they invite you out to coffee but choose a really expensive out-of-the way place to go. And then you realize it’s the best coffee you’ve had in months and it’s right next to an incredible park with a view and you hang out for a while and get to know that he’s also interested in photography and library sciences and really easy to get along with. You know, THAT guy.

If you want to make friends with mountainbiking, I'm sure there's a video out there that will set you up with all the essentials—the slightly more complex equipment, how to navigate trails, safety precautions when carving the back of a mountain...but who wants to sit through umpteen-step instructions?

Which is why I love this piece from Filme von Draussen. His outdoor videos are the antithesis to all things ‘instructional.’ This is by no means a tutorial video for making it out to the trails, instead it is a wholehearted challenge to get there yourself and do it.

While I recommend a healthy introduction for any kind of adventure (Safety first, friends!), we need inspiration for our senses. Online communities can help you fix or build pretty much anything these days, which is wonderful for creating shared knowledge. Advice? Yes! Stories? Definitely. But a photo tutorial for icecube-making? Only useful for, say, the fateful day I spend too much time in the sun and become dehydrated and partly amnesiac.

I’m looking for a few less tutorials and a few more sit-down conversations and experiences. What is this thing about? Mountainbiking is sweat and speed, nature and flow.

Although I do think I can write my own tutorial from Filme von Draussen's experiential tastes. Step one: Go outside. Optional step 1.5: Film it to share later.

Fully helmeted,

Dallas, Antarctica

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:26:00 GMT

Researchers recently found evidence that a billion years ago, before Pangaea, there was another Pangaea.

You know Pangaea—the supercontinent, a single landmass, that connected all of our continents on Earth? Turns out there was an even older Pangaea and her name was Rodinia.

So it looks like a piece of Antarctica used to sit right next to Texas. You could have spied icebergs from the Alamo, or leapt over a ridge and feel the temperature drop 100 degrees. George W. might have accidentally shot his vice-president while hunting penguins. OK, yes, these might not have happened and there was no “Texas” or “Antarctica” before, say, recent human history. But none of us were there to say otherwise, so let’s keep our imaginations on for a minute.

While I do like to picture what that would mean for today’s world, saving airfare for polar excursions and all, this is a good time to remember that the face, climate, and content of the land would have been very different 1.1 billion years ago—a rather necessary reminder that our landscape is changing around us every day.

But it also brings to mind a sense of connected lands, of through-ways, of endless paths. That’s a fantasy that we still hold on to--the mystery of an ancient and untouched landscape. Imagine traversing thousands of miles, wilderness on all sides. The promise of open space. It would be a golden age for explorers: walking forever on an endless landmass. Passing forest and stream, looking out over a new panorama of continents. We would all adapt to have giant tree trunk legs and leathery feet to manage long journeys. I would play Kevin Costner’s foil lead in the poorly reviewed but well-attended blockbuster Earthworld.

As much as I like to romanticize her, Pangaea would be no fun for beach-goers. And Rodinia probably doesn’t have a Rocky Mountains. So I will keep the flame of endless space alive in today’s outdoors, one foot at a time.

But come ON how cool would giant tree trunk legs be?!

For a newly mapped world,

Rescue on Mt Wilson- Week 4

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:18:00 GMT

As a continuation from our previous post, the next morning we woke up and hiked up to the base of Mt Wilson. The majority of the route up Mt Wilson is Class 3, with one notable Class 4 move to access the summit block. On our way up the mountain, we noticed a group of 3 climbers ahead of us that were leaving the main route and were crossing a steep snow-filled couloir. We re-checked our map to make sure we weren’t supposed to ascend the same way they were. We weren’t – our route had no snow and made it’s way up to the ridge instead of directly for the summit. We didn’t think much of it; sometimes people do a variety of different routes for different reasons. James and I summited Mt Wilson and then descended about 1000 ft. The whole time the group of 3 seemed like they hadn’t moved far from where we had first spotted them. Then out of nowhere we heard yelling coming from where they were located. We looked up to find one of the climbers sliding out of control down the steep 1000 ft snow-filled couloir. He was trying to stop himself but he was picking up so much speed that he ended up tumbling head over heels the 1000 ft to the bottom where the snow stopped and the rocks started. The whole time he’s falling, I’m realizing that I am probably witnessing this guy’s death. At the speed he’s going, he will hit the rocks and that will be it. When he finally stopped, we couldn’t see him. Where the snow met the rocks, there was a small ridge blocking our view. James told me he was going to run over there to check on him and I yelled at him to get his phone out to see if he had service to he could call the rescue team. Before James could get there, we yelled to ask if the guy was okay. Surprisingly he yelled back that he was okay – no broken bones, just a little bloody. Nothing short of a miracle. Extremely shaken from witnessing the fall, we were more careful than ever descending the next 500 ft. Every rock seemed like a potential hazard. About 15-20 minutes later, we hear a helicopter coming towards us from the valley below. It turned out to be a rescue helicopter. He hovered over the spot where we could still see the same climbers and brought one of them to the basin just below where we were hiking. It looked like a woman with her arm in a sling. As it turns out, even before the fall, the woman from the same party had possibly broken her arm . In an attempt to be in a better position for the rescue, the group of 3 re-crossed the snow couloir at which time a guy from the group fell the 1000- ft. These people must have had the worst day in their lives. Luckily, everyone was okay with the exception of the arm injury. This made us realize that there are true dangers to climbing these mountains and we need to do everything we can to make sure we are climbing as safely as possible. We had our video camera accessible and were able to film some of the daring helicopter rescue. That must require some mad helicopter-flying skills to get this close to the mountain at 13,000 ft!

Early Early Fall

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 18:00:00 GMT

All eyes to the fall, folks. This week, Urban Outfitters features Eagle Origins on the front of their Early Fall Collection.

I find that I can only turn slightly bleary eyes on the changing season. It feels very preliminary, we're all still wearing swim trunks, and I think I'd like to cling a suntanned fist to the sunbleached summer a bit longer. So I'm going to call this an...Early Early Fall/Still Summer Please Collection.

UO has picked some great styles to highlight in their men's section for this pre/late/any season. Make sure to peep the Wildnerness, Solo and Eagle in their "Featured Brands."

And have you checked out the Urban Outfitters Blog lately? Their "Hit the Road" contest has some fantastic shots from reader travel photographs this summer. Which reminds me, let's caravan here together before the season is over, early or late:

At a snail's pace,

Food, Raw and Uncut

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:55:00 GMT

It's hard not to think about food this summer. Maybe it's the promise of outdoor eating: the freedom of a backyard, the smell of barbeque.

Or maybe it's this unrelenting heat that somehow makes the task more appetizing than usual. And that's when I know it's serious—not even lower back sweat can deter wild food imaginings.

You need to unpeel your t-shirt from the back of that lawn chair and check out the trailers for “Salt, Fresh & Field.” This show, currently in production on the West Coast, is what humidity-fueled food adventure dreams are made of.

Salt Fresh & Field TEASER from Salt, Fresh & Field on Vimeo.

First of all, looking at any outdoor footage makes me hungry. Synapses are already firing between brain and stomach when I watched their time-lapse camping video. Can we check out the science behind that? Is it the s’mores? Anyway, back to the show.

Playing our food adventure guide is Chad Brealey, who definitely looks the part as he walks you through forest and stream.

But he also feels like someone you actually want to hang out with, as we hunt/fish/find ways to eat real food. No hint of snark in his assessment of sustainable food options (that’s looking at you, celebrity chefs & food personalities) and also the narrative shows no sign of suggesting extravagant upscale dining establishments as the poster child for food culture (‘No really you have to come experience our organic such-and-such for just $79.95 a plate!’). Chad shows us real food, real people bringing food to your table, and real people wanting to eat it. We're right here, Chad! Over here!

Because it feels like we’re missing the story in the Farm-to-Table movement some of the time, doesn’t it? If we’re really supposed to care about the where and why of our dinner choices, I want you to take me there.

Show slogging through the riverbed to find the perfect spot to fish, negotiating the forest for a deer hunt…and the butcher! Let's see what the butcher looks like! Salt, Fresh & Field is asking us to do just that—strap on boots and follow them on excursions across land and sea that take us back to the kitchen.

So before you journey back into the heat, while you’re still at your computer and not calling up Chad Brealey to schedule a personal outdoor food-finding adventure, you can fire up the internet engines and head over to their website and Vimeo channel to check out their videos.

As the trout swims downstream,

– KK

At The Trailhead

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:20:00 GMT

Hang on, let me look at this map for a second. Found it. We’re right here. See? Because the sun is setting over there…I’ll try and explain later. Welcome!

This is Merrell Origins.

Merrell started with a simple dream and a tall order: outdoor shoes, made well. Tough sell, right? Lucky for us, Clark Matis and “Uncle” Randy Merrell embarked on an adventure in 1981 that led them to "The Best In The World."

So rather than beers and ice cream cake, we decided to celebrate 30 years of good construction and good design with just that: good construction and good design. We’re re-imagining the classic styles of Uncle Randy and Clark to bring some of that vintage charm back to our footwear. These designs are wearable, streetwise and fieldsmart. And they still have the signature smirk of those first Merrell shoes—a glimmer of wide-eyed adventuring.

Our Traveling Companions: "The Wilderness", "The Eagle", "The Solo"

The Wilderness is the Real Deal McHolyfield. This boot harkens back to the original style that the Merrell dynamic duo conjured into being when they wanted an alternative to the stiff, heavy European shoes that dominated the outdoor scene. The Wilderness has been given a friendly push into the 21st century with construction incorporating recycled materials and an upgraded design, still sporting the signature blue laces.

The Eagle reminds me of those hiking boots you inherit from Dad’s closet for your first trip on the trail: they show little sign of age, apart from accumulated mud, and are way too retro-cool to trade in for a modern pair. The updated Eagle holds your heel and ankle in place—a perfect mid hiking boot for a short hike, medium walk, or long frolic into the great beyond.

The Solo redesign keeps the hiking shoe easy and lightweight with some eco-friendly improvements…so no judgments if you have to wear ankle weights for a while to get used to them. And these shoes look like a call to adventure! You can almost imagine the glint in Uncle Randy’s eye when he chose vibrant colors for this outdoor pair. It makes the comfortable Solo wearable and maybe even a little cheeky.

Our roadmap: Forget the map. Who needs a map anyway? We’ll be using the spirit of Merrell’s original trailblazing as our guide

Our wilderness guide: KK Apple: adventurer at heart and unabashed fresh-air breather. Hello!

So join us! On this new adventure. On a permanent day trip to the outdoors. You’re already outside, even if it’s just for fleeting moments. So stay for a few. Look up, breathe in. Catch the sound of the rushing river nearby before you turn the corner and head back to the city.

The Merrell Origins Blog is hunting for something real, something good. Something you can sink your teeth into and taste soft leather and soil and…ok, just maybe just metaphorically sink your teeth into. Make sure to follow us on "Twitter", check us out on "Facebook", and stay tuned here on "Merrell Origins."

See you over the next ridge!

– KK

PRICEY CONDITIONS MAY EXIST – Week 3

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:43:00 GMT

Jul

14ers This Summer: 17
Miles This Summer: 127
Elevation Gained This Summer: 54,000 ft

This week definitely had its ups and downs. On the upside, we successfully climbed 5 peaks, moved on from the Sangre de Christo range to the San Juan range, and we were able to meet our friend Chris in the Navajo Basin to witness his finishing Colorado 14er climb! On the downside, we lost our digital camera and we lost a bit of confidence when we witnessed a helicopter rescue of some people who were climbing towards the Mt Wilson summit at the same time we were.

The week started with three easier climbs: Culebra Peak, located on a private ranch which allows climbs for $100/person, Humboldt Peak, a rounded peak that looks out of place next to — and offers great views of — the craggy Crestones, and San Luis Peak, probably the most remote 14er in the state. These three were all simple walk-ups, and we climbed them in three successive days of 5 miles, 9 miles, and 12 miles (our longest yet of the summer).

After climbing San Luis a day early, we took advantage of a rest day in Telluride before meeting up with our friend Chris (and his wife Sara, daughter Lucia, and two of Chris’ long-time friends, John and Ben). They were all going to meet us at Navajo Lake for Chris’ final 14er, Mt Wilson (and its infamous ridge to its sub-peak El Diente). Telluride is a beautiful mountain town, but it is a fairly expensive place to eat and hang out — however, we can’t say we weren’t warned: on the way into town a yellow highway sign that normally reads “ICY CONDITIONS MAY EXIST” had been creatively modified via a “PR” prefix…we can confirm that pricey conditions did exist.

After a restful day off, we hiked the 5 miles into the Navajo Basin to Navajo Lake with our full packs on in a quick 2 hours. Upon arrival at a nice camping spot, we realized we were witnessing a rarity: a clear afternoon in the Colorado high country. 95% of the time, our days start out without a cloud in the sky, then by around noon, clouds have started to build, which can turn into deadly (to exposed hikers anyway) thunderstorms. However, this day was different: at 2 pm there were only a few harmless clouds rolling by. We took advantage of this and dropped our camping gear and headed out for a rare afternoon summit. The summit in our sights was Wilson Peak, a dramatic 14er that dominates the views south and west of Telluride. The last mile along the south ridge of the peak was a dramatic change from the walk-up hikes from earlier in the week. Once on top of the 13,900 foot false summit, the remaining few hundred feet are quite daunting to look at.

However, the final summit pitch looks worse than it is and doesn’t exceed Class 3 scrambling.

We were also keeping our eyes peeled for wreckage from any of the small-plane crashes on Wilson Peak’s flanks, but we didn’t spot any. We summited Wilson Pk by around 5 pm, and were back to our camp by around 7 pm, just in time for a quick dinner and bed, not knowing what the next day had in store for us…

Stay tuned for tales of 1,000 foot falls, massive rock falls, and helicopter rescues…

Steamboat Wine Festival

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 22:47:00 GMT

If getting outside is a Merrell fans favorite past time, guess what their second favorite past time is? You guessed it, drinking wine. We savor high mountain peaks, glacier fed lakes and a fine Pinot Noir with the same respect and fond memory. Merrell has teamed up with the Steamboat Wine Festival to bring you both of your favorite activities in one Merlot packed weekend of hiking and biking. The Steamboat Wine Festival, August 4-7 in Steamboat Springs, CO, offers a weekend getaway full of events on the mountain and around town that will surely create new memories. Whether you choose to partake in Merrell’s “Let’s Get Outside” hike, cast a line at the “Tight Lines and Fine Wines”, pedal in “Mud, Sweat, and Beers”, or indulge in “Chocolate Wine Pairings”, there is sure to be a seminar or outdoor adventure for you. Even better, all the activities include food from culinary greats and master winemakers’ finest tastings. Each day is different and guests can choose their own journey. One thing we know and love is that its summertime, and the Steamboat Wine Festival allows us to “Get Outside” to make a few memories. For more information check out http://steamboatwinefestival.com/

Hot Showers and Hot Meals: These are a Few of our Favorite Things – Week 2

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:17:00 GMT

14ers This Summer: 12
Miles This Summer: 78
Elevation Gained This Summer: 36,000 ft

We have completed a total of 12 14ers since we started climbing this summer which means we are 1/3 of the way through our goal of 36 Peaks (although, we still have a month and a half left since they get increasingly longer and more difficult). In the past week we climbed 6 mountains. For 5 of the 6, we had to hike in and camp. To reach the base of Kit Carson and Challenger Peak, we hiked 4 miles into Willow Lake which has to be one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen. For Little Bear, Blanca, and Ellingwood, we drove as far as we could on a 4WD Jeep Road road but had to make the remaining 3 miles up to Lake Como on foot. The Xterra did really well making it as far as it did on the Jeep Road – only one part fell off, and it was only a mud flap so we can fix it.

On Little Bear, I (Kirsten) got to experience my first Class 4 terrain. However, it was a little sketchier than expected since the main class 4 section had water running down it and was in the skinniest part of the gully meaning any rocks that someone accidentally kick above you, all funnel to where you’re climbing. I’m glad we did it and glad we made it down safely, but it’s probably not a mountain I will climb again. At only 4 miles round trip and little over 2,000 ft of elevation gain, it still took us about 6 1/2 hours round trip from camp to summit and back to camp.

Our favorite peaks this week were Kit Carson and Challenger. They had some of most beautiful scenery and were a big accomplishment for James especially, since this was his 3rd attempt on those two (the pervious 2 times, he had to turn back due to bad weather).

After 14 days and 12 mountains, we are feeling pretty good, thoroughly enjoying the beautiful scenery, and having a down-right awesome time! We have adapted well to the elevation and our muscles aren’t sore anymore. Our feet and knees on the other hand are a different story. We haven’t gotten any blisters at all thanks to our Merrell Chameleon shoes (which is pretty impressive since the first time I even put on my Merrells was on our first 14er this summer!). However, the constant pounding when we descend for hours every day, make our feet and knees sore – nothing a day of rest won’t ease. Yesterday we climbed Blanca and Ellingwood, which marked 5 peaks in the last 4 days. During our descent of Ellingwood we realized we were really in need of a rest day. After descending Ellingwood, packing up our camp, and hiking out the three miles back to the car, we celebrated with a large meal in Alamosa, CO, did our laundry, rented a Red Box dvd, and are now enjoying a much-needed rest day.

Next up – Culebra!

NYC Barefoot Run

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:39:00 GMT

By now, many of us have heard about it. What was once a budding idea has bloomed into a new way of life for many runners. Barefoot running and barefoot footwear is here, challenging what we’ve practiced and thought about running form for years. Let’s face it, we ALL love being barefoot - indoors or out. Many have built up the stamina and strength to actually run barefoot. Others rely on barefoot shoes to help transition to this new and refreshing way of running. No matter your choice, the 2nd Annual NYC Barefoot Run (Sept 24-25, 2011) is a celebration of all things barefoot and offers a weekend full of events – a run, clinics, panel discussions and parties.

On Saturday morning, meet the ‘Kudus’ of barefoot running including Christopher McDougall, Jason Robillard, and Barefoot Ted. Join their clinics and learn from the experts. Join us on Saturday evening as we host the Merrell Barefoot party at the NYC Barefoot Run. It will be an energizing event to make sure that everyone is inspired to take on Governors Island on Sunday morning. Perfect your Merrell Bareform™ with hundreds of other barefoot runners at the weekend’s marquee event – the run. Enjoy one of the most scenic and iconic routes that New York has to offer. Enjoy the view, share your NYC Barefoot Run stories, and make plans for your next barefoot run at the Post Race Party. Whether you’re new or an experienced barefoot runner, this will be a weekend that will educate, energize, and inspire you towards your outdoor fitness goals. So BYOF (Bring Your Own Feet), we’ll provide the party, and join us as we partner with the NYC Barefoot Run September 24-25, 2011. In the end, it’s a weekend of celebrating the freedom and fun that barefoot provides. Who doesn’t love that?
Learn more and sign up at http://www.nycbarefootrun.com/

Life Outside the Cubicle: Our First Full Week

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 06:38:00 GMT

14ers Summited this week: 6
Miles hiked this week: 45.2
Elevation gained this week: 21,500 ft

So, we’re sitting in the Wally La-La Laundromat in Buena Vista where they have free wi-fi and coin operated (hot) showers as well as laundry facilities. We just climbed our 6th 14er this morning since our trip began. That puts James’ total to 30 and mine to 20. We still have 30 remaining to climb this summer. The first day (Shavano and Tabeguache) was definitely the hardest with the most mileage and elevation gain in one day. Plus, our feet weren’t used to the pounding that 11 miles and 5400 feet of elevation loss (descending is harder on your feet) inflicts. But after a week, we feel pretty good.

After climbing Shavano and Tabeguache, we spent the rest of the week climbing Mt Yale, Mt Antero, Mt Princeton, and Mt Columbia. We were planning on traversing to Mt Harvard from Columbia’s summit this morning, but really strong winds and low visibility from being in the clouds convinced us to turn back.

We have really started to enjoy sleeping in the Xterra every night. It took us a night or two to get used to it, but now it has become super comfortable. So comfortable that we weren’t looking forward to hiking in and tent camping at the base of Columbia last night. We haven’t paid for sleeping accommodations yet, and hope not to all summer. We’ve been picking up a red-box dvd in town when stocking up on supplies, then heading out and watching it in bed before we fall asleep.

Exerting this much energy everyday really shows you how sedentary our lives have become. There were days when we were working where I woke up in the morning, walked 30 ft to my car, drove to work, walked maybe 100 ft to the front door, and up 3 flights of stairs to my desk and sat in my cubicle all day until I walked to my car and drove home. Don’t get me wrong, we were still fairly active – we mountain biked and ran a few times a week but that was by choice. There’s nothing really requiring us to exercise anymore. Our food is readily available, we have cars to get from A to B, we have everything making our lives easier. I think about this a lot on the trail when we hike on old mining trails and I think about when they used to mine for gold and how hard it must have been. They probably didn’t have goretex. After a week of working this hard, I feel like our bodies were meant for this.

James & Kirsten

Project Athena!

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:30:00 GMT

The Project Athena Race series is here! With a 10k God and Goddess Run, 5k Athena Team Trek, and even a 1k Kidz Challenge, there's something for everyone. The Project Athena Race series is dedicated to helping women who have faced medical setbacks embrace recovery and conquer physical fitness goals. 100% of entry fees will help support survivors. Join us for this incredibly opportunity to race, and support an amazing foundation. Learn more at http://www.projectathena.org/

Life Outside The Cubicle

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:57:00 GMT

Many of us have thought about leaving our jobs to chase after a dream, challenge, or adventure. How many of us actually act on this?

Meet our friends James and Kirsten, who did act on this. They will be taking a one year break from their jobs to pursue their own adventure of climbing all 56 14ers (56 Colorado Mountains of 14,000ft or higher) and continuing their journey onward to South America! Feeling bogged down by years of accumulating "stuff", they desired the need to live simply and explore. This love of the outdoors and outdoor participation resonated with us (Merrell) and we wanted to team up with James and Kirsten to provide them with the necessary gear to take them to the highest peaks and down the furthest trails. We feel, it’s when this happens, that their unique story can really come alive. Luckily for all of us that have a passion for the outdoors, we can follow their travels. Whether it's hiking Colorado's 14ers, or exploring South America, join us as James and Kirsten take us on an outdoor adventure that explores Life Outside the Cubicle.

All We Need is Just a Little Patience

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:38:00 GMT

I will start this blog entry by admitting that I am not a very patient person. In learning to run barefoot and in barefoot shoes, I had to learn a few hard lessons in stepping back., slowing down and letting my feet lead me to patience, or the most amount of patience I could drum up inside myself. Most recently, my daughters gave me an even larger lesson in running and patience.

Together Isabelle (8 years old), Hannah (5 years old) and myself got our running gear on, laced up our matching pink Merrell barefoot shoes and hit the local 5K. The coolest part of the race was that there were far more families and children running than stand alone adults. A sign that our healthy interests as adults can and do rub off on our kiddos. We started the race near the back and the girls told me they were going to run as fast as they could the whole entire way. Inside my brain I giggled, as I have never been one to pace myself in anything that I do. It sounded as if this trait was inside my girls too.This could be an interesting lesson for us all!

The horn blew and we were off. Running as fast as we could, passing friends and laughing. As we neared the first half of the race, Isabelle stopped. She was done and ready to walk. “Let’s just walk and hold hands mom.” What? I couldn’t believe it. This was a race! What was she thinking? I breathed deeply, held her hand and walked … patiently. After 50 feet she was ready to jog, but only holding my hand. We jogged and walked, jogged and walked up atrail hill. We could see Hannah still chugging along way ahead of us, running with the third graders, determined to sprint across that finish line. As Isabelle and I got to the top of the trail, the trees opened to a beautifulvista of the town. We both stopped in awe as others ran past us not even realizing the beauty of the trail on which we were running. Isabelle stood there, picked a flower and just stared ahead at the view and said “see mom, if we were running too fast, we never would’ve seen this!” And she was right. All we need is just a little patience.

After a few minutes we began to jog again and the race had taken an entirely new context. Sometimes, even in a race, it is good to slow down and enjoy the moment. Sometimes when changing the way we want to run we can benefit from stepping back to change our form or perspective. I can’t wait to run (and walk, and look and listen) with my girls again soon.

Jason’s Permanent Summer Vacation

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:21:00 GMT

If it isn’t obvious, we are kinda in to the outside around here at Merrell. We’d all rather hike, bike, run and paddle instead of sitting at our desks all day. Heck, we’d rather get soaking wet in a warm summer rain than spend any time under fluorescent light. We love making shoes and clothes that help us get outside as often as we can. Summer is one of the best seasons in Michigan and you can see people in the office leaving early on Fridays or not coming in at all as they head ‘Up North’ to the blue yonder of Lake Michigan. School is out, kayaks are on car racks and our daily runs are becoming that much more enjoyable with the sunshine. One of the members of the Merrell Team – barefoot running master, ultra-marathoner and all around nice guy – Jason Robillard is setting out on the summer vacation to beat all summer vacations. It’s a permanent one. We’ve all sat around and said “If I didn’t have to go to work every day, I’d definitely do….”. But, then we come back to reality and plan a weeklong ski vacation to Chile to fill our need for adventure. Jason and his family are hitting the road to explore, RUN, see the country and have a grand ol’ time. Jason and Shelly (his super cool wife) have had yard sales, given away clothes they haven’t worn in years, packed away their gear and are moving in to an RV with their three young children and niece. You can send their mail to “Jason and Shelly c/o The World” and they will pick it up along the way. They are taking the minimalist lifestyle to new heights. Jason and Shelly are going to blog about their experiences on the road, living the barefoot lifestyle and having fun doing it. Make sure to follow their various blogs to see pictures, video and fun moments from what will prove to be the barefoot adventure of a lifetime. We wish them all the luck in the world. We are extremely jealous.

You can read about the family adventures..

http://robillardadventures.com/

Or Jason’s other love – barefoot running.

http://barefootrunninguniversity.com/

First Half Marathon - DONE!

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:27:00 GMT

Congratulations to Emily, our newbie Barefoot runner, who completed her first half marathon last weekend. Read below about the strength she found from herself, her friends, family and complete strangers.

Running – A Rhythm in Strength of Mind and Heart

Today I accomplished a personal goal. I completed my first ever half marathon. I wasn’t super nervous going into it, I didn’t have a ton of time to train, but I had a friend by my side with each stride making sure I kept my pace, didn’t over run in the beginning. It was an epic day of smiles, pain and gratitude. I accomplished my goal of a qualifying time for the NYC Marathon. This goal was met thanks to my friend, who knew me, my ways and gave me the rhythm I needed to succeed. I was exhausted and exhilarated at the same time.

But as we left the course, the final racer was crossing the finish. A woman, only a bit older than I, with a clean shaven head, and a beautiful stride to match her smile. She was the last to cross, but in my mind she was the first and only winner. Her head was a clear symbol of freedom from a disease that takes many. Her smile was symbolic of her strength to happily take on 13.1 miles with pride. Her stride was strong, steady and diligent. She inspired me, not to continue to run, but to run for the power and strength of mind and heart that is in each of us every day.

Somedays we get busy doing our thing and forget about what is important. She, that lady with a beautiful head, smile and stride, reminded me of what is important, what life is all about, and why each day should be lived and survived to the fullest. She reminded me that running is a sport of strength in mind and heart, that’s what powers us through each stride. It gives me strength to help my father is in the midst of his battle. He called, coincidentally as this woman crossed the finish. I feel this was not a coincidence, but a sign of strength that I will continue to deliver to my amazingly strong father as he battles to become a survivor.

Listening to Your Body - Game On!

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:06:00 GMT

When Merrell started on our Barefoot journey, Emily started with us. Em started running seven years ago after the birth of her first daughter, mainly because the baby was happy in a stroller. It has since turned into an outlet for Emily, a place to challenge herself and find inspiration. Below she shares how important it is to listen to your body, even if your mind won’t slow down.

Despite the fact that I’ve been able to increase my miles and have accomplished some races in barefoot shoes, I still consider myself a Newbie. I have a lot to learn! A lot to learn in form, in listening to my body, in setting goals that continue to inspire me to go further and have fun.

Through my “barefoot” miles, I realize how important it is to listen to your body. I may head out for a 6 mile run and just keep going for 10. I may head out to do 10 and feel tired and opt to turn around after 3. This doesn’t make me fail, this makes me a stronger runner in that I know my body and am able to listen to it every step of the way. Through the connection to the ground beneath me, I’ve become, with each step or mile, more aware of myself.

By becoming more aware of myself, I am able to set new goals. In two weeks I will tackle my first half marathon. I haven’t given myself a ton of time to train, but know that I will have to take some days slower and longer and other days, I will have to increase my pace for shorter tempo runs to prepare my body and mind. Mentally this takes patience. As a full time working mom of three little nuggets with a newfound passion for running and adding the distance, I often find an hour to run and jet out the door. I go fast so I can accomplish the miles! With this new race and distance goal, I have to step back and learn patience.

And so, game on! I will allow my competitive spirit to embrace that which it fears the most. It seems like an oxymoron, but to reach my goal, I have to continue to push my feisty free spirited nature through patience. I will do it so I can reach my goals and continue to enjoy the freedom and exploration that running continues to bring me.

Merrell Wins Runner's World Best Debut Award

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 06:10:00 GMT

Here at Merrell, we’ve been lucky enough to win awards for our footwear in the past. We get very excited when our shoes and clothing make gear guides or get recognition from somewhere that our products stood out about the rest. Recently, we received word that the Merrell Trail Glove and Pace Glove were given the honor of the Best Debut award from Runner’s World for their Trail Guide issue. Needless to say, we were psyched, honored, humbled and proud. Really, really proud.

Bill Dodge, VP of Product Development for Merrell, summed it up best when he said “We are thrilled with this honor from Runner’s World. From design to development to testing we have put a lot of time, energy and heart into the Merrell Barefoot program. From marketing our focus has been on education, our barefoot microsite and our new iPhone training app, all of which provide people with the proper information to get the best start in barefoot shoes. We hope our barefoot program will inspire more people to get outside.”

Bill hit the nail on the head. We’ve worked really hard to bring you a Barefoot collection that really stands out above the rest. We’ve stayed true to barefoot running by making a shoe with a zero degree drop, giving you the nearest experience to actually being barefoot, without having to worry about a stick impaling your big toe.

To receive such an award from Runner’s World for our Barefoot collection debut is a great honor. And it makes us that much more excited to continue bringing quality Barefoot shoes to the market. So what are you waiting for? Grab your Trail Glove or Pace Glove and get started on your Barefoot adventure!

Different is Good

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 04:29:00 GMT

Running barefoot always seems to get attention. Just about every barefoot run elicits a few "You forgot your shoes." or "Does that hurt?" comments. Most all of them are curious, friendly and positive. When I ran the Dam to Dam 20k last year, I heard some negative comments such as the suggestion that barefoot was stupid, a fad, and I would be unable to finish. These comments were surprising in their intensity but also because I hear very few negative things about going barefoot.

When I began my barefoot journey, I felt a great deal of anxiety; anxiety about standing out and anxiety that barefoot running was a mistake. We feel anxiety about new and different things for good reasons. These feelings keep us safe and give us consistency. Consistency allows other people to interact with much less stress and conflict. Consistency is good but so is changing to something better. It is important that we find balance in our lives between keeping what works and progressing to what works better.

I tried to run in shoes for many years. The constant injury and pain forced me to stop and heal but my desire to run was so strong that I always tried again. I tried to fix my problems by researching my specific running problems and buying progressively more expensive shoes to correct for my weaknesses. That is the more socially accepted way of running.

One day my husband suggested a radically different approach – run barefoot!

Barefoot running - what a crazy concept I thought. That will never work I argued. You can't run barefoot! My reaction was a testament to the power of conformity. I had gone barefoot as a child. Bare feet were around before shoes and those bare feet must have run sometimes. Yet here I was arguing that is was not even possible let alone a useful idea because it was not what everyone does.

The truth is that barefoot running is not a new or radical idea. My friend and sometime running mate Forey has been running barefoot and in minimalist shoes for 40 years. My brother in law had run barefoot in high school track back in the Fifties because he could not afford shoes. Barefoot running has always been there but popular perceptions changed. As the wealth of this country grew shoes were seen as a status symbol and barefoot became a glaring stigma of poverty. This stigma persists to this day even though shoes are available even to the poorest people. The power of the association of poverty with bare feet overwhelmed competing narratives that extol the great potential benefits of having bare feet.

Still bare feet are seen as different and if we acknowledge the stress of being perceived as different then we need sufficient benefits to justify the cost in initial anxiety we experience when first trying something. The benefits of bare feet are many. Here are some of the big ones for me.

The biggest for me is that the feedback of running barefoot enabled me to correct my running form so that my chronic running injuries went away and I can now run marathons. Running has been so good in my life. It calms my stress and energizes my life. I tried for so many years to run and thanks to going barefoot my running dreams have come true.

Another benefit is all the wonderful people have met while running and promoting barefoot running. People who want my advice and they have information I need when things don't go right. The common interest of running barefoot often leads to the discovery of other shared concerns. I have many friends who are mothers of young children as well as barefoot runners. The support and insight they give sustains and invigorates my own interests in running and life in general.

When I found success in running barefoot, my husband gave it a try. His chronic running injuries quickly disappeared and now we run together. The shared time away from the kids and engaged in a mutually enjoyed activity makes life so much better. With so many things causing stress in our lives it is important to have shared positive experiences.

I think the greatest benefit to running barefoot has been the change in my perspective on life. I see life through the eyes of a barefoot runner. When I have problems and things are not working I ask myself is there a barefoot way. Barefoot to me means taking off your shoes so you can feel what is happening. It also means letting go of preconceptions and trying to understand why things are not working. It means looking closer at the metaphorical path you are running on so that you can maneuver through the hazards with agility, grace and strength.

It may seem scary to try something different and new. When you give barefoot a try you will find out that most people think it is pretty neat, once they talk to you they will think it is a great idea and when they try it themselves they will forget it ever seemed different at all.

http://www.barefootangiebee.com/

Notes from a Newbie

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 08:42:00 GMT

Do you remember when you were a child and the first thing you wanted to do when you woke up was to run out the door and explore and play? The woods in your neighborhood became the Island of the Wild Things; a game of kick ball could last all day long; and a willow tree would become a fairyland full of adventures. Your imagination is alive; all else is silent.

That’s what running is to me. It is a pure sense of freedom and exploration. A place I go to think, dream and explore. Alone, with friends, in the sun or weather wild, trails or road, no matter, it makes me stronger each with each stride.

I didn’t start running (other than school sports) until after I had kids. My first daughter was very fussy. My solution – put her in the stroller and go. If she was going to scream, the whole world could hear our pain! We would go miles and miles, breathing in the fresh air. Daughter 2 came and so did the double jogger stroller. I had a habit of visiting local tag sales searching for the best used double jogger I could find.

I like to compete, mostly with myself. My first downfall I will always admit is that I have no idea how to pace myself. I go full force and full of energy in everything that I do. Life’s short, live hard. I remember my Nanna (who broke her arm once roller skating in the house) telling me “no one ever died from being tired, have fun, live life.” And so, I do! My latest challenge (and running revelation) – barefoot/minimalist shoes.

Nine months ago, I started running in Merrell Barefoot. Talk about a way to force yourself to learn pace! As a natural midfoot striker, I knew it wouldn’t be “too” hard to learn form, but I also knew I didn’t want to injure myself. I started a bit too fast and the morning after I was like a granny hobbling down my staircase. I could barely walk or bend over because my calves and back side were so sore. Woah! Could running a short distance in barefoot shoes really change the muscles that were working? Sure felt like it! After three weeks, my new barefoot stride became comfortable and the soreness wore down, but I could feel my calves, glutes and feet getting stronger. Today, my calves are bigger and I have new muscles, and I don’t mind at all. They are a sign of my dedication and love of running.

I’ve been adding distance, stopping when I am too sore or slowing down if my legs start to hurt. I am learning to listen to my body, feel it getting stronger, and with each stride, I feel and connect with the ground underneath my feet. It is like being a child all over again! Every root, pebble or stream is a new adventure, a new story, a new path that I am taking to get stronger and learn about myself. Each day, I open my door, and run out, like I did as a kid! I dance down my driveway and just go. Some days I don’t set a path and run until I feel I can’t go any farther.

Over 1000 miles of running in Merrell barefoot shoes to date and I’m not turning back. I like living and looking through the eyes of a child, it keeps me young! I like living hard, it keeps you strong in mind and body! And I am learning patience and pace…one barefoot step at a time.

Trail Glove Review – Jason Robillard

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 03:43:00 GMT

Barefoot Running University’s Jason Robillard shared his thoughts on the new Merrell Trail Glove. Let’s just say – we were honored!

Thanks for the Trail Glove Review Jason!