I was able to get a ticket for Monday's session to the Dalai Lama Lecture Series. The lecture was on the 600 year old Tibetan Buddhist text, 'The Great Treatise On The Stages Of The Path To Enlightenment'. The Dalai Lama walked onto the stage at Stabler Arena with his hands clasped before him, bowing to the crowd and then sat on a raised throne looking chair with a large cushion. The backdrop on the stage is a giant tapestry with an image of the protector Maitreya, the next Buddha to visit this world and turn the wheel of the teaching. During the portion of the 6 day lecture series I was able to see the Dalai Lama spoke about many things including proper meditation techniques, the Three Jewels and more. He spoke mostly in his native Tibetan language while using an interpreter. When he did speak in English it was cracking a joke to which the crowd responded by laughing with him. To me it was well worth the price I paid for a ticket. I was in awe and humbled by the experience. 

The Primal Quest Sprint Series is proud to offer a 20% discount to all entrants who belong to a local outdoor athletic club.  Members of cycling, mountain biking, triathalon, orienteering, or any other outdoor clubs are eligible for the discount by providing a copy of their membership card upon submission of their entry.  Teams that sign up on-line at www.primalquestsprintseries.com will use their club discount code.

The PQSS is a series of shorter, faster adventure races designed by the same team behind the Primal Quest expedition length race. Teams of two compete in the traditional adventure racing disciplines of mountain biking, trail running, and paddling, with a few surprise events thrown in as well.

The Sprint Series launched in May with the first ever race taking place in Chesterfield, VA. There are two more races scheduled for 2008, one in Pittsburgh, PA on September 6th and another in Charlotte, NC on October 4th. In 2009, the Series will expand with more races tentatively scheduled as follows:

Miami - mid February

New Orleans - late March

Nashville - early May

Detroit - mid June

New York - late July

Pennsylvania - early September

Richmond - mid October

Atlanta - mid November

Top teams will earn points based on how they finish in the Sprint Series races, and at the end of the season, the team with the most points will be crowned the PQSS Champion. The winner of the Primal Quest Sprint Series will earn themselves an automatic entry into the 2010 Primal Quest Expedition Race. For more information regarding the PQSS, contact Dave Poleto at dave.poleto@primalquestsprintseries.com.

Today began the Dalai Lama's historic six-day visit to Bethlehem. He will lecture on a 600-year-old Tibetan Buddhist text called "The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment." I think I am going to try and get a still available ticket to go see him.

Monday, TAS will announce its decision in the controversial case regarding Floyd Landis, who tested positive for synthetic T during the 2006 Tour de France. At last, we will know the outcome of the 2006 Tour de France. The decision is expected at 17:00 European time. Five lawyers from TAS considered the 35 hours of testimony offered by 24 experts. The decision by TAS cannot be appealed, so in one way or the other, we will at last come to the end of the Landis story. If TAS decides in Landis's favor, he is free to ride and remains the winner of the 2006 Tour, though he has already been removed from the official record books. If TAS finds against Landis, he will complete a two year sanction and Pereiro is the official 2006 winner.

Theclimber has joined the affiliate program for http://www.upsideover.com/.

Upside Over is a company run by parents with kids and parents in mind.  There goal is to source the best outdoor gear and information for active families looking to participate in active outdoor adventures.

The countdown to the fourth annual Great American Backyard Campout™ has begun!

Mark your calendars for June 28, 2008.

We hope you'll join us again this year. In no time at all you’ll be enjoying a night of s’more-making, stargazing, and nature-watching right in your own backyard or favorite camping spot.

You can find packing lists, recipes, wildlife guides, activities, tips and more at our new Campout website: http://www.backyardcampout.org/

I will post more Lehigh Valley Classic race photos soon!

Along with the Pro bike race tomorrow this is taking place 2 minutes from my house... 
As of now Transformers II has begun production before the cameras at Bethlehem Steel. Some residents are probably cheering and the rest are probably cussing, despite the warning, at the noise and traffic levels as things go boom and aircraft fly overhead. There filming a battle scene on the old Bethlehem Steel site right in front of the old blast furnaces. I know it is not outdoor related sports but it is so cool that there here filming this ! I just want a glimpse of Megan Fox !!!!

The Commerce Bank Lehigh Valley Classic is an all-new kick-off event for the Triple Crown Series in 2008.  The June 3 event will feature three races including a short criterium race for elite amateur men and a similar race for elite women – both to be held in downtown Allentown – and the international men’s professional road race of approximately 90 miles, which will be conducted on a longer circuit route through the city. The course will have its main staging area and start/finish line on Hamilton Street in downtown Allentown.

The Commerce Bank Lehigh Valley Classic main event will showcase twenty-five of the world’s elite professional cycling teams.  Approximately 17 domestic and eight international teams will make up the culturally rich field of riders. With eight riders per team, the Lehigh Valley is in for an exciting day of racing as they watch over 160 cyclist vie for the lead position in the extremely competitive peloton. Cyclists will cover 85 miles, riding 12 laps of a challenging 7.1-mile circuit with winding hills and sharp turns.  The course begins and ends at 9th & Hamilton Streets. Racers continue through downtown Allentown, cross the 8th Street Bridge, wind through Lehigh Parkway and pass the “Feed Zone” before making their way back into downtown on the deceptively-steep Hamilton Street return.  Start Time: 1:00 PM

This is so cool, the start/finish line at 9th and Hamilton St. is where my employers office building is. Right on that corner! I scheduled a 1/2 day off so I'll be finished at 11 AM and be ready to watch the start at 1:00 PM for the mens' pro race.
I'll make sure I take and post a boat load of photos.

http://www.procyclingtour.com/lehigh-home.htm

The Scientific American begins its story about the high cost, in brain cells,
of high altitude mountain climbing with this quote from a mountaineering chat room:

“Three attributes of a good mountaineer are a high pain threshold, a bad memory, ....and I forget the third.”

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=brain-cells-into-thin-air

Interesting reading !

Well finally by popular request here it is ... how to tie a bandanna in 7 easy steps!!

1.  First you will need a bandanna, depending on the size of your head we have found that a square of material (a soft cotton is best) about 60 cms (24 inches) square is about right. Lay your bandanna out somewhere flat.

2.  Fold a single corner of your bandanna over, so that the corner point is resting roughly in the centre of the square of material (ie aligned horizontally with the two side corners). Note: we have found that this is the best method of folding, however the smaller the amount of fold then the bigger the final bandanna size will be (ie the more fabric you will then have to stretch over your head) and of course vice versa. So it really depends on the size of the unfolded bandanna and the size of your head!

3.  Hold the folded bandanna at either side of the folded edge and place the folded edge along your forehead at the height you wish.  It may help to bend forwards at this point, as shown in the photograph below.

4.  Moving your hands outwards towards the two side corners, pull them towards the back of your head.  You can straighten up at this point, (which leaves the bottom corner of the bandanna forwards over your face and so making the next step a bit easier to do).

5.  Then simply using the two side corners tie a single knot only at the back of your head, making sure it is tight enough so the bandanna is firmly tied but not uncomfortably tight!

6.  With one hand hold this single knot so that it doesn't loosen too much, use your other hand to bring the bottom corner over to the back of your head.

7.  Finally, tie another single knot, but this time over the bottom corner. This effectively catches the bottom corner of your bandanna inside the knot, making sure the bandanna stays on your head.

You can then adjust the tightness of the front of the bandanna by pulling on the bottom corner flap and tightening the knot at the back. If you have enough material you can also tie a further single knot with the two side corners to make sure the bandanna is firmly secured.

Alternatively a slightly easier way to tie the bandanna ... after completing step 3 ...

4.  Pull the two side corners to the back, making sure the bottom corner is lying flat against the back of your neck this time.

5.  Tie the two corners in a double knot above the bottom corner at the tightness that is comfortable for you.

I came across this audio slide show from the New York Times.

Very cool,

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/20070301_PLAY_FEATURE/index.html

"Mount Rainier's history with Mount Fuji dates back to 1935 when former Park Superintendent Owen Tomlinson presented a rock from the summit of Mount Rainier to Issaku Okamoto, Consul of Japan to Seattle. Japan reciprocated the exchange in 1936, beginning an eighty year relationship between Mount Rainier and Mount Fuji.

In 1993, the Japanese Volunteer in Parks Association was founded and began sending volunteer teams of 20-30 students to Mount Rainier each summer. The Mount Rainier-Mount Fuji sister mountain relationship was formalized in 2003 with the establishment of an exchange program with the Fuji-San Club. The mountains are both Pacific Rim stratovolcanoes of the Konide type and share a similar status as icons of regional and national identity."

For information on the program, check out Mount Rainier's Education Program website at:

http://www.nps.gov/mora/forteachers/professionaldevelopment.htm

Or contact Mount Rainer Ranger, Anne Doherty, directly at mailto:anne_doherty@nps.gov or by phone at (360) 569-6039.

More information on The Mountain Institute is available at http://www.mountain.org

Whether it's a short mile jaunt or a all day long hike, below is another sad story and a big reason to always be prepared on the trail. 

*******************************************
Daphne woman dies out in cold

Sandra Ordner, 47, of Daphne, whose body was found last week outside her locked SUV at a North Carolina mountain parking lot, died of hypothermia hours after she told her husband she was going hiking, the local sheriff said Thursday.

Macon County, N.C., Sheriff Robert Holland said that it had been extremely cold and raining in the hours before Ordner's body was discovered in the parking lot of the Whiteside Mountain Trail.

Ordner's keys and cellular telephone were locked inside her 2002 Land Rover sport utility vehicle, Holland said.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/news/1202465733321030.xml&coll=3