Awesome 5.5 hour cross-country ski tour today - GREAT CROSS TRAINING!

Yes, I know this is a triathlon blog. But in the middle of the winter, I think it's appropriate to throw in some cross-training love. So here it is!

Me and ski-buddy-Steve took advantage of slowness at work and vacation time to complete a big ski day we've been planning for a couple years. Steve has done this route before, but I haven't.

I was looking for a long route with some fresh, untracked powder, and the desire to say "I am completely done skiing for today and probably the next week." I got what I was looking for!

This route is a lollipop of about 11 miles, with 2,000ft gain and 2,000ft back. The ball of the lollipop is the fun part because nobody really goes there. I remember sections of this route from the when I ran relay section of the Pocatello 50 race a couple years ago, too.

We left work at 11:00. Stepped-off at the trailhead a few miles out of town at noon. It's awesome that it's that close, and it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere while you're out there.

The first part, the stick of the lollipop, was the standard fare for that area, which I've skied several times. It was all tracked up. This time, somebody had gone through with a four-wheeler and put some really deep ruts in the track that are just barely too narrow for cross-country skis (btw, thanks dude...I guess the rules of no-motorized-vehicles don't apply to you!).   But it was still doable.

The weather was great. About 25 degrees. Constantly falling snow...just enough to keep the skies a bit white against the gray clouds. I dressed just right, too, was breaking a bit of a sweat but nothing serious.

We broke into the loop of the lollipop, and the four-wheel track went away. We were into single track as expected. BEAUTIFUL!

Thirty minutes later, we were into the untracked powder. We broke trail for two hours on the ball of the lollipop. It was AWESOME! It was great to stop and take in the incredible silence. You can't hear that kind of silence in town or anywhere but deep into a forest like that. No birds. No cars. No animals. Nothing. Wow!

The mostly black, white, and grey scenery is busted up here with some trail signs. See the blue square on the tree nearest the camera? And the yellow sign towards the back-center of the photo (hint: follow the ski track)? That's how you navigate these trails. If there are no signs, you can generally tell where the trail goes by looking for a "tunnel" in the trees.

We got to our trail intersection that meant we were heading down and home. This was at the four-hour point now! And it was 4pm! I was wanted to be home at 5pm and was supposed to be at home at 6pm. It was looking like I would be lucky to be home at 6pm.  We pointed our skis down the hill.

This downhill wasn't fast, but it was nice to finally not have to go uphill. And we were on a single-track that somebody had been on before, so it was kind of fast.  Life was good.

There was steep section that we both had worried about. Normally, it's hard but doable. Today was barely doable for me, not doable for Steve. The four-wheeler had made it to that point and put in the ruts! It's hard to steer cross-country skis in those ruts. I fell several times. I swore. I thought I broke a finger when I fell. I got snowy and wet. Then I realized I needed to get control of my circumstances....and from there it went well. But I still hope Mr/Mrs Four-wheeler realizes the impact he/she has, and I wonder how many knees will be broke because of those ruts, and how many people won't want to ski again because of the experience with those ruts?   Anyway...

Sun and clouds on Scout Mountain.

As it got dark, the "blueness" kicked in strong. This pick also shows the sagebrush section of the route. Most of it is in the trees, but this section is up on a ridgeline with nothing but snow. Glad the wind wasn't blowing when we were on here because I'm pretty sure it could get intense.

It was getting dark at 5:30. We pressed to get to the car before "real" dark hit. I got there at 5:40. Steve pulled in at 5:50. I got home at 6:10, just a bit late, and wifey was cool with it.

We were both absolutely beat-down and tired.

Points to Ponder about this awesome ski day:

1. It took me 5hrs 40 minutes, about the same as my 70.3 in September. Maybe I'm not in such bad shape after all. I feel like I felt after that triathlon! I'm going to hurt tomorrow. This is definitely getting into the local backcountry!

2. I love the silence of the forest.

3. I love that this trailhead is only about 20 minutes from the house. Many other trail options are available, too.

4. I want to mountain bike that trail in the summer. Could start before sunrise and solve the "how do I bike outside in the dark" dilemma (I don't like biking on a road in the dark). But a slow uphill climb til the sun comes up seems doable.

5. Why is it that only a guy that is much older than me will go on these adventures with me? I hope I'm in good as shape as he is when I'm "that age."

6. It's great to have a job and family that provides flexibility to do something like this.

7. Route maps are available via Idaho State University Outdoor Adventure Center, with some direct links below:

Gibson Jack / Slate Mountain area
Scout Mountain area
Portneuf Range north
Portneuf Range south

If you're getting interested in cross-country skiing as a great way to cross-train for triathlon in the winter, I'll be putting together a gear-list and things think about to get you started in the next week.

I'm also planning a post on the ways that cross-country skiing (and backcountry skiing) are great ways to stay in shape for triathlon during the winter. It really does work!

Ten things to look for in a point and shoot camera for an active lifestyle

If you're wondering what kind of camera you need to capture an active lifestyle, this is what you are looking for.

These are a few features to look for in a good point and shoot camera that you'll take along on your active lifestyle, year-round, all-climate adventures.

1. Drop-rated: Many of these new point and shoot cameras are rated for 10-foot drops. With kids who want to play with it, a drop-rating is an absolute must, and ten feet seems reasonable. Oh yeah....it's not just the kids who will be dropping it, right?!?!

2. Waterproof: I wanted waterproof because we love to be by the water, whether it's fishing or the pool. Standard waterproof-ness goes to 30 feet these days. You probably don't need more. And don't go for a camera that uses a case...why? because the case can break and then you have to buy another case. I personally think that the seals and such in a waterproof camera body will outlast the external case...I've had two Sony cameras that attest to the non-durability of an external case.

3. 1080 video: yes, you need 1080 video capability going into 2013 and beyond. 720 is not good enough anymore because of the playback on the big screen televisions. Don't go cheap on this! Get the 1080.

4. GPS: do you really need GPS? Probably not. I wouldn't be too concerned about this unless you are already using this feature.

5. WiFi capability: This is something I don't use currently but think I would if I was to get a new camera. It really is a kind of a pain to take out the memory card and put it in the computer every time I want to get my pictures on the computer.  And then how many times have I left the card in the computer?  Get this if you can, but it shouldn't over-ride any other features.

6. Moving parts: I like to minimize the number of moving parts in any gear that will be used alot in relatively harsh conditions. Every time you drop the camera, moving parts become less apt to move as needed.  Specifically, I don't like a shutter and lense that moves in an out every time you turn the camera on or off.

7. Battery adaptability: I say "adaptability because I don't really have a good word for the flexibility of a battery. You should be able to buy inexpensive replacement batteries and rechargers. The battery should be able to be quickly recharged. You should be able to recharge that battery somehow with a solar-charging device you might already have.  The battery should be rated to work well in the cold, too, although not many batteries do well in the cold anyway.

8. Ease of Handling / One-hand operations: the camera should fit in your hand nicely, have a nice grip to it, and be able to be be turned on on/off and zoomed with just one hand, preferably with gloves on. You should be able to have a strap attached to it, too.

9.  Function and Review options: You should be able to review a shot quickly and easily. This function gets into the handling and such, but it is also all about the software being intuitive and able to run through things quickly. You don't want to be sitting there on a cold, windy ridgeline trying to remember all the menu options.....you should be able to do things quickly with cold hands that have gloves on them.

10. Megapixels: You should get no less than 10 megapixels. I base this on the ability to print a nice 8x10 photograph. Sometimes you get really lucky with a point and shoot, and you get an awesome pic that you want to blow up. I've done a good 24x36 print with my 12.1 megapixel, but there is just a little bit of distortion visible to a regular guy.

This is the camera I have now. It works pretty well for everything I need. I can use it with gloves easily, too!  It's about three years old now, and the only thing I wish it had is 1080 video; the 720 is what was available when I bought.

Canon PowerShot D10 12.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD by Canon

• $299.00 $279.99
• Order in the next 35 hours and get it by Monday, Dec 31.
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These are the cameras I would probably buy today if I had to (luckily I don't have to. The Canon above is going strong!).

 Canon PowerShot D20 12.1 MP CMOS Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens a 3.0-Inch LCD and GPS Tracking (Blue) by Canon

• $349.00 $289.00
• Order in the next 38 hours and get it by Monday, Dec 31.
• More Buying Choices
• $289.00 new (20 offers)
• $265.00 used (4 offers)

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 Nikon COOLPIX AW100 16 MP CMOS Waterproof Digital Camera with GPS and Full HD 1080p Video (Orange) by Nikon

• $379.00 Click for product details
• Order in the next 38 hours and get it by Monday, Dec 31.
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• $209.00 used & new (29 offers)

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Mix It Up: How To Get Your Kids Into The Backcountry

Much of the reason I love the triathlon lifestyle is because it keeps me fit enough to get into the backcountry on any given day and still have enough energy to enjoy it once I get there.

My biggest goal in life is to raise God-fearing kids who love the outdoors. And, of course, I want to spend time in the outdoors with them. I don't want them stuck to the tv and other electronic devices. I want them to prefer to be unplugged.

I figure to be able to get that foundation in my kids, you have to start early. So, that's what I'm doing.

The below article is one I wrote over the summer for a backcountry fly-fishing blog,  but it never got published. I'm posting it here in case anyone is interested.

While you are planning your TRIATHLON race schedule, maybe you can plan a couple extra days this summer to get outside with your kids.

Happy Reading!!

Darin

************************************************************************************************

Ten years ago, my wife and I often went on long backcountry hiking trips with just some quickie planning. These days with 3 1/2 year old and 16 month old boys, we do more quickie trips with long planning time.  When I first started fly-fishing in the backcountry areas of Yellowstone National Park and the Sawtooths of Idaho, I could basically just tell my wife the when’s, who’s, and how’s of a trip and be on my way to paradise. That freedom has turned into clearing everyone’s schedules of many different other who’s and when’s to make clearance for us (on a side-note, the second or third Saturday in September is always reserved for some Lamar River action! And nothing can remove that day).

So, here we are trying to figure out how to get back into fun and fishing in the backcountry, or as close as possible to it, now that one of the kids can walk a few a couple miles each way. Our quickie-trips are generally a half-day scheduled around nap time, and the extended planning effort requires diapers, multiple snacks, safety considerations, and a couple of toys if we’re feeling energetic enough to carry them. The focus of effort is generally keeping the boys happy rather than hoping the fish take some fake food, but that’s how it is as parents of toddlers.

I’ve searched the Yellowstone maps for a place a couple miles off the road to provide some quiet from the road while also providing a safe place for the kids to play. The Lamar River about 200 yards upstream from its confluence with the Yellowstone River provides a two mile hike that the 3 ½ year-old can make on his own, a large gravel bar that provides some sand and many rocks for throwing, and a plethora of nice fishing holes in the immediate vicinity. Perfect!

I have a life-vest for the older boy, but I just can’t get myself to even make him put it on. I would rather watch over him like a hawk than squash his personal movement freedom with the life-vest. If we were rock-hopping and such along steep banks, it would certainly be different. As it is, the ground is flat, the water is barely-moving and shallow next to the gravel bar, and his Mom is there to watch like a hawk. All he wants to do is throw rocks and splash in knee-deep water, and at this location he can do that with the endless rocks and great little pool of water.

The 16-month old is easier in some ways but harder in others. We have to carry him into the location using a baby-backpack (we use the Deuter Kid Comfort III…absolutely awesome and worth the high-price; it has lots of storage).  He’s about thirty pounds, so I get to carry him while his Mom carries the fishing gear and other stuff. Once at our location, he mostly sat in the sand and played with a little plastic rake. He can’t maneuver very well over the rocks yet, and that is mostly a good thing. 

When nap time rolled around, we put him on a little blanket we brought, and give a bottle of milk we kept cold in an insulated cooler made just for that type of thing (all you dads, take a look at baby gear to repurpose for your own needs, too!). We forgot the small shade-tent, but the canyon walls and some trees provided plenty of shade up on the banks of the river. He didn’t take a nap, though! So, we had reverted to Plan B and left for the trailhead before he got really cranky; he was asleep in the backpack before I took ten steps!

I almost forgot! I got a good two hours of fishing in, too! I went mostly up-river, but there were plenty of pockets in both directions. The catching wasn’t very good, but I got looks on nearly every fly…..my prep time was spent planning for the kids rather than researching what flies the fish would be looking for. Anyway, for me, half the fun is just getting the fish to say “yes” or “no” to the fly, and I was getting that answer as I watched them swim away.  It was a bit frustrating, but it beat walking the boardwalks with the crowds at Old Faithful.

Here are a few of the things to think about when you are setting up your trip to the backcountry with toddlers.

1.       Recon

-          Look at the maps for possible locations,

-          Visit the areas in person to look at safety factors and the trail to the site.

-          Look at the area in Google Earth, realizing that water depths are probably different. Check river conditions on USGS water gauges (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis )

2.     Safety

-          You MUST have a water-safety plan of some sort: life-vests, always-in reach, small water, etc. Don’t under-estimate the dangers of the stream. These are little kids who don’t know better.

-          Consider the impacts of bear country. Follow the rules exactly, and all adults should have bear spray. Teach the kids not to run as a basic backcountry safety principle, but vitally important in a bear situation.

-          Check the weather before you go for heat, thunderstorms, rain, wind, etc.

-          Sunscreen your kids. If you forget it, go back and get it. That goes for bug spray, too.

-          Take a shade-tent and a ground-cloth or blanket for protection from elements.

-          Have plenty of water. Take a filter to make sure you don’t run out.

-          Keep the distance short. Tired kids trip and hit their heads on rocks; beyond the health issue, if the kids get hurt, they probably won’t want to go back.

-          Take a first-aid kit with a small ice-pack for any bumps and bruises.

-          Continuously ask yourself “How could my kids get hurt, and how will WE deal with it?” There’s no 911 in the backcountry.

3.       Plan For Fun

-          If they are old enough, this might be the perfect time to teach your kids to fish!

-          Boys love throwing rocks and playing in sand. Make that a priority.

-          Take some familiar toys with you (yes, jam them in your pack, it’s worth it!).

4.       Kid Care Items

-          Snacks are almost as important as all the safety factors. Take a variety and enough for lunch.

-          You CAN take real milk. Put it in a basic lunch drink cooler.

-          Have a nap plan.

-          Dress your kids for the environment: shoes, shirt, pants vs shorts, hat, etc.(rain gear?!)

-          Don’t forget diapers/wipes/ etal. Remember a bag for the messy diapers (pack it out!).

We had about four awesome peaceful hours in the near-backcountry on this trip, including the excitement of a coyote following us quite closely, the constant sound of the river with no road-noise, and the opportunities to see wildlife up close. Our oldest boy walked the entire way, which is really awesome (insert proud Dad grin here!), and the youngest definitely wore himself out for the day. And Dad got to fish while Mom stayed mostly happy; I say “mostly” because she got to fish for only about fifteen minutes. 

Absolutely most importantly, we are building the foundation of a love for the backcountry that I so deeply hope turns into future long backcountry trips with quickie planning.

Triathlon books published in 2012 ---- A Quick View

Here's a quick review of the books about triathlon published in 2012. I simply searched for "triathlon 2012" on Amazon, and these are the books on the first five search pages. There might be more; like I said, this covers only the first five search pages of Amazon. Some of them look good, especially Friel's book. 

Also, please note that I don't make any money off the links.

Happy Browsing!

Watch that flu bug....he'll knock you down!

Bottom Line: It HURT! Don't get what I had.

Let me start this post with some personal info. I stay out of hospitals unless someone I know, including me, has at least one foot in the grave. The hospital is the LAST place I want to be.  I also take pills about twice a year. That means there are two occasions each year when I will break down and take an ibuprofen, motrin, or some OTC thing like that.  I don't like taking meds because it's not natural to put that stuff in my body.

This past week was one of those occasions when I put meds in my body. The flu knocked me down for three full days! And that's not including the day I fought it off.

Monday: woke up early finally and got in a workout. During the bike trainer, it started to hurt a bit, so I backed off. Then at the pool, it hurt some more, so I backed off some more. Then while lifting weights...yeah, I backed off cuz it hurt more than expected.  I got to work, and ABSOLUTELY HURT all day. I chalked it up to some kind of good workout (yeah right! I backed off an easy day!).

Monday night: I woke up in the middle of the night because I was shaking/shivering uncontrollably. Couldn't warm up! Wifey got some hot tea, and that settled me down. Thirty minutes later had uncontrolled sweats. Thirty minutes later, uncontrolled shivering.....you get the idea how that went. I was wondering if I should be scared, and my wife was wondering how to get me to the hospital with two kids staying in their beds.

Tuesday: woke up at 7:58. Supposed to be at work at 8! Called in, said I might be there at 9. Wife woke me up at 8:56. Called in to say I would be gone all day. What was I thinking? Shivered and sweated all day. Took ibuprofen, some Nyquil stuff, and some cough drops. Hurt all day.

Tuesday night: slept in three hour spurts til the hot tea wore off and I woke up shaking. At least it was predictable!

Wednesday: still at home. shivering and sweating wore off a bit. Now the congestion and sore throat kick in. I can't talk at all.

Wednesday night: can't breathe at all cuz my nose and throat are completely congested.

Thursday: still at home. RAGING headache in the morning, and then I realize I haven't had coffee in two days because I was drinking tea. Three nice strong pots of coffee later (yeah, I'm a bit attached!) and head feels right at about 1pm. Still can't talk. No shivers or sweats, so I can at least kill time watching a movie.

Friday: back at work. sore throat a bit.

Saturday: Ski day! Not 100% but close enough.

Good nutrition starts early

Noah ABSOLUTELY LOVES Jamba Juice acai shake! Good nutrition habits start early. 

As Paul said, "I like this shake better than McDonalds. Yummy in my tummy!"

More yurt options!

Get OUTSIDE and break that cabin fever! Ski or snowshoe...whatever. 

I LOVE yurts!

The yurts near Boise are open again after some intergovernmental agency bickering.

The Idaho Statesman : Yurts are now open for business

Video Review: The Sufferfest - The Wretched

Alarm goes off at 5:12am. "I ain't gettin' up this morning."  Pause. "Oh yeah, I got that new Sufferfest vid last night, and it's waiting for me. Can't wait to see it!" Hop up out of bed, down to the pain cave, pour the coffee already-brewed-by-timer, and ready to go!

Yes, that's how my morning went. From that to a good workout out The Sufferfest - The Wretched video to writing this right now.

I have nearly all the Sufferfest videos. My favorites remain The Hunted and Local Hero, mostly because they feature some longer Time-Trial-like sections. And I really like the music.

The Wretched is a change of pace then. It has less formal structure and more of a let's-follow-the-race structure. It really puts you into the race and keeps you mentally engaged.

The timing on this workout is only 35 minutes of work, with 48 minutes overall. That's GREAT if you've become wretched and can't pull a full one-hour workout (like me right now!). It's also great if you're using this for a one-hour lunch workout.  This video fits into my schedule perfectly right now, but I can see that when I get into some longer workouts as my season moves along, I'll be going back to the staples The Hunted and Local Hero.

Certainly nothing is stopping you from doubling or tripling this with some of the other shorter vids to make a three hour workout. That would certainly be alot of suffering.

So what about the video? I'll just leave a few notes for everyone....suffice to say that you should get it; you can't go wrong even if you just pedal along to the music and watch the screen when you pull your head up enough.

1. The format of the workout is really cool. Follow along with what happened in the real race. Simple is good.

2. New graphics greatly enhance the production level. Nicely done!

3. Three climbs in this workout. The final climb has some great instrumental music to keep you pushing along.

4. Video is 48 minutes, with 35 minutes of  a "main set." Perfect for a short morning or one-hour lunch workout.

5. More fun and games with the "plot" of your second-you, the Sufferlandian.  Lotsa Fun!

6. The Wretched is simply another video in the long list of great stuff from Dave.  

I followed the Sufferfest closely for the last few years but got behind on the videos a bit this past summer. I was busy training for my first 70.3 triathlon, and I also put together my own bike trainer videos that put you on the road in Yellowstone National Park. Check them out at www.mountaincruises.com.  I will honestly say they are not as good as the Sufferfest videos, but when you need a break and some easy cruising,  push play for MountainCruises.com and you'll have some nice cruising scenery for the day...just watch out for the buffalo!

Meal Time: Salmon barbecue

I'm trying to eat more fish, and that translates into a nice chunk of salmon once per week. I get  this fresh caught fish at a locally-owned store, and I always ask the nice lady to give me 1.3 pounds in two slices, with one just a bit bigger than that other. Tonight, I got a REALLY big piece, probably in the .80 pound category!

Here's the breakdown on this meal. It's a real treat as it's expensive, but it TASTES GREAT and FILLS YOU UP and it's AWESOMELY HEALTHY.

.80 pound salmon = 500 calories (640 per pound) and $8.00. Spices on it have no calories. 

one glass of wine (Bogle Petite Syrah) = 300 calories and about $2.00 ($8.00/bottle)

One cup wild rice = 170 calories (rounded up) and about $0.50.

Half of an Asian Ceasar Kit Salad = 400 calories @ $1.25 ($2.49/bag).

No dessert.

Total of 1,370 calories and $10.75.

Here are the highlights that I love about this meal:

1. Fish is GREAT healthy food.

2. Antioxidants in some great tasting wine. 

3. Wild rice has wheat berries in it. Comes from bulk section, so no crazy packaging.

4. Except for the packaged salad, this meal is quite natural with limited processing (if any). 

5. Easy to clean up. I barbecue the fish in tinfoil, so very easy to clean. Two plates, two glasses, silverware, and glasses all go directly in the dishwasher.

6. Fish bought at local market, supporting local small biz owner.

Jaybird Freedom bluetooth headphones now under $80

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005B28DOM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Jaybird Freedom headphones review update

Back in September of 2011, I wrote about the Jaybird Freedom headphones that claimed to be sweatproof.

Over a year later, I'm happy to say that these things are still going strong, and I absolutely love them. They stay in my ear while cycling. I don't know about running because I don't run with headphones (mostly because I don't like the player having to be strapped on me somewhere or carried).

They sound great, too!

Battery life is good enough for two full workouts of about two hours each.

I haven't lost the charging cord yet. It's not a standard cord, so I have to keep track of this thing.

The nice little case it came in has not been used at all. It's a waste of money. I would prefer to save $5-10 on the packaging. I guess my two year old likes to open and close it, so I it gets some use.

The only problem I've had is build-up of earwax in the buds. I have to clean that out every now and then, and it's kind of gross. Nothing serious, but I would rather not have to deal with it.

I am tempted to try the Jabras and the new Motorolas, but I can't justify spending money on new headphones when I have a great pair already. I'm sticking with these until they don't work anymore.

But Jaybird has some new versions that look REALLY GREAT and tempting.  I can't see spending over $150 on headphones, though.