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Of Wild Places and Other things

It’s been some time since I’ve been able to indulge my passion for all things Nature. As many can probably attest, work and other obligations are the barrier to the outdoors, no matter how close it may be.

This blog will be my attempt to educate, share, and participate in the pursuit of wild places. It may exist as a substitute of sorts, or a tool for those who need it. I hope to add enough original content to maintain your interest (and sate my need to share it). Some of the future posts may include trip reports from my own travels and trails, book and film reviews, updates about conservation efforts, and gear testimonials if and when I spoil myself by buying new equipment!

I’ve maintained another blog on WordPress for several years now- Aiming Higher, which is best described as my personal experiences in my aerospace career. As that particular theme become somewhat muddied by my attempts to share conservation and environmental topics, I’ve opted to move that content to this new site. It’s a rare occasion when my interests in space-science and outdoor pursuits collide, so there should be little duplication. I’ve been living in the Midwest for more than decade now, and my desire to spend time in wild places means travel. The “work/life balance” is a perpetual obstacle to overcome. My youth was spent in the Pacific Norwest, where trees and mountains and wild things are more than merely scenery, they are part of life there. Now, here within a short drive from the Great Lakes, those things are more difficult to find. Taking time from work becomes the reason to work, money earned to be money spent away from home. So while my own trips to wild places have become more rare, I hope by sharing some and discussing others I can expound on their significance. (That said there are some amazing natural places in the Midwestern USA, and I hope I can share more about them here!)

Another subject which I believe merits more discussion is conservation and environmental protection of wild places. This is especially so in the context of visiting or enjoying outdoor sports in areas set aside to be protected. There are numerous (too many) sites on the web promoting the best places to travel to and experience without indicating the impact people have on those very places. We shouldn’t talk about Yellowstone without also talking about legislation concerning wolf reintroductions and management. It’s irresponsible to venerate Katahadin in Maine without remaking on the surrounding timberlands being logged. Alaska without mentioning ANWR, Washington without salmon fisheries- this list goes on. I intend to address conservation whenever it appropriate.

Finally, I ask that if you enjoy the content, feel free to leave comments and share this site with your friends.

Gear Review: Odi AG2 Aaron Gwin MTB Lock-On Grips

Awhile back after some local low-key rides, I made the error of leaving my bike mounted on my car rack, anticipating another greenway ride to build some endurance. What I found a few days later was a surprising and not a little gross: my stock grips had melted into a tar-like substance. No lies. I’d never had anything like this happen before with any of my bikes.

Seriously, what happened here?

Time for new parts.

A little shopping around and looking at customer scores brought me to Odi’s grips. The AG2 isn’t a new product, and that’s ok. I really wanted something that had good history. Like every aftermarket part I’ve bought for my now elderly hardtail, I was looking for something that was capable enough for downhill but comfortable enough for some distance on trail or gravel.

The Odi AG2 grips as sold

Odi markets these grips for downhill MTB scene. Large diameter, soft grips pads, and a firm locking mechanism. The locking rings are aluminum, which is standard, but I do appreciate the aluminum end-caps which are molded inside the rubber sheath.

Navigating the brakes was the hardest part of installing my AG2 grips

Installation was easy- or would have been, if I had a better Alan wrench (these will require a 3mm wrench) Or Cannondale had placed the shift knobs somewhere else. Well, I don’t want the shifters anywhere else, so I had to work a little harder to hand-torque the mounting screws into place. There are good reasons to have lightweight trail tools, but this was not necessarily one those times.

The bare handlebar and the trail tool I had to work with

The grips feature “more” material on leading edge of each cylinder, set some 45 degrees from the primary position of one’s thumb would be while riding. This is designed to provide additional padding. This grip position can be adjusted to fit your most comfortable riding position or style.

Overall, these seem like a positive purchase. I was even able to find a et that matched the color scheme of my bike. If these pass the test, I would be willing to consider the company’s other products. Next up: An endurance ride to see how these grips feel.

For more product information, check out the company website: www.odigrips.com

Book Review: Dead Reckoning

“Learning from Accidents in the Outdoors”, by Emma Walker (2021)

There is a contemporary subgenre of outdoors literature that focuses on the misfortunes and tragedies that take place during outdoors recreation. Before the 1960s, this was the only form of popular literature featuring outdoors topics, typically sold as pulp novels and magazines catering to young men and rife with the masculine exploits of cowboys, pioneers, and hunters facing the “horrid dangers of the untamed wild.” From dime novels about Daniel Boone to narratives of mountaineering expeditions on Everest, there has always been an audience for

More recent trends in outdoors and nature writing have, thankfully, transitioned toward factual accounts of mishaps, often with the intent of educating readers of how to avoid such fates themselves. Dead Reckoning is one such book, with the unique and honest perspective of an outdoor recreation guide conducting self- analysis of her own misfortunes.

And for me, that’s what sets this particular book apart from the multitudes of others on the topic. Walker is telling her stories, nobody else’s, and that’s important for understanding why someone chooses the actions they do in adverse conditions. There are far too many armchair enthusiasts passing judgment on the decisions made by those who are befallen by accidents in outdoor recreation with no regard for the state of mind- the fear and desperation felt by those far from any rescue.

Each chapter of Walker’s Dead Reckoning explores an incident in her personal and professional experiences in one of many outdoor sports she takes part in. Hiking, climbing, canoeing- there’s a lesson in this book for everyone. The most harrowing example included is a retelling of her time training to be a river rafting guide, and the probability of disaster ever-present.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is even casually interested in any outdoor sports or recreation. It’s not a traditional story, nor a guidebook in the usual sense.

Trail Report: Beaver Ponds Trail, Yellowstone National Park

Beyond the wooden boardwalks and concrete viewpoints, there is an entire time capsule of wild nature in Yellowstone National Park. Past the signage and rustic architecture exists a wilderness all but unaltered by human presence. If you travel to America’s first national park, and you feel ready- venture out onto one of the many trails in the backcountry.

At Mammoth, Yellowstone’s first settlement and the park headquarters, the rising terrain and sagebrush hills create a bowl like valley around the world-famous hot springs. In all directions, mountains burst upward. The picturesque, postcard-worthy views are impressive (I’m quite proud of the photograph I took below). Mammoth makes for a perfect basecamp from which to explore the park, and there are several convenient hiking trails nearby.

Looking North toward Mammoth, the Beaver Ponds Trail is on left in the green forested hills (Author’s Photo, 2017)

Beaver Ponds Loop Trail is one such hiking trail that begins right in Mammoth. There are two trailheads, the westernmost begins immediately nearby the Liberty cap hot spring feature, and the one to the East begins behind (North) of the Mammoth Village.

The trail takes a steady, meandering journey up in the hill under the cover
of the pine forest. While not particularly strenuous, much of the 800 some feet
of elevation gained happens in the first 2 miles. (It should be noted that the
elevation at Mammoth is already 6,200 feet, and every trail that begins there
can only go higher). It doesn’t take long before the clamor of the visitors is
behind you, and you quickly realize you are stepping into the wild parts of the
park.

Being as close as it is though, it’s a relatively heavily trafficked trail, and at no point will you lose your way. Junctions are well marked and the trail itself is never obscured.

Beaver Ponds Trail ss depicted on Alltrails.com

The trail is a reasonable 5.5 to 6.2 miles long, depending on the route. It can be accomplished in 2 to 3 hours depending on one’s ability and willingness to tackle the trailhead nearest to the Mammoth Visitor Center, which starts out much steeper). I opted for the clockwise loop, which begins much more gradually and offers more cover at the onset. There is no potable water or restroom available, so plan accordingly. I do recommend a hat and sunscreen as well.

In the spring of 2017 when I hiked this trail, the park rangers were quick to inform myself and other hikers that black bears were present. Recent sightings were common enough to spur the ranger station to issue the warning. The months of April and May are especially concerning in Yellowstone country, as that is when the bears leave their dens to feed- often with cubs. While this certainly was on my mind the whole hike, it wasn’t enough to deter me. Noticeably, a number of tother trails in the park were off-limits to guests because Grizzly Bears were doing the same thing. Having already seen almost a dozen Grizzlys at that point in my trip, the comparatively benign black bears seemed almost an insignificant worry.

The grouse that nearly caused me to wet myself (Author’s photo, 2017)

While I never did see any bears, there was plenty of other species out and about that day, many of which were unimpressed by my presence and posed for my camera.

Stepping onto the trail with my senses already triggered for potential bear
encounters, I was constantly scanning the horizon at every break in the trees.
This led to me almost stepping on an indignant grouse, which burst out of the
dust on the trails with a flurry of feathers and expletives from me.

The offended bird settled only a few feet way, only momentarily agitated,
and clucked passively while I managed to get a series of great photos.

Typical view and terrain on the Beaver Ponds Trail (Author’s photo, 2017)

If I were to hike this again, I would do two things differently: I’d have taken more photos, and started much earlier in the day. The lack of cover on the Eastern part of the loop was somewhat unforgiving in the sun, and the opportunities to see more animals would have been better.

For more information about the trail, see the links below:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/beaver-ponds-loop

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/beaver-ponds-trail/

Gear Review: Troy Lee Design A1 MTB Helmet

Buying a new bike helmet can be a tricky affair. Weight, comfort, fit, price, and style are the considerations most cyclists compare when shopping for a compatible helmet.

After having worn what might be now called a “vintage” Bell helmet for many years, I made the decision to buy a new mountain biking helmet, especially after taking up trail riding again. Back in the PNW again, I opted to check out the local REI, which had a considerable stock of MTB gear.

The Troy Lee A1 stood out amongst the products available- contemporary, stylish, mid-range retail prices, and enough positive reviews for me to commit to purchasing one. I wanted something that was adequate for moderate downhill, but not necessarily fit for racing. My extent of my riding is not so extreme that a basic helmet design wouldn’t be enough protection.

One of the features emphasized in the new design was the proprietary MIPS technology – (Multi-directional Impact Protection System). The MIPS is an additional interior layer of protection, designed to shift rotational impacts to reduce traumatic injuries. It consists of a low-friction layer under the hardshell and padded liner.

The A1 includes a sun visor with some minimal angle adjustment. There are competitor designs with both more rigid and lengthier visors. Those models may be better suited for conditions I haven’t been riding in. The A1 has been more than satisfactory.

Another positive feature is the mechanical liner adjustment. Rather than relying on fitted padding, the liner has a dial mounted on the rear, within the hardshell space, which can be turned to fit the wearer’s head.

Ventilation is more than adequate. Even with the additional MIPS hardware, airflow is evenly distributed. I’ve been riding regularly in the Southern states, where the temperatures are uncomfortably warm at best, and the A1 remains cool.

One small downside with this design was how it “pinched” some when I wore some styles of sunglasses with it. The manner in which the helmet fits near the temple extends just low enough to interfere with the temples on the glasses. I’ve also read some wearers has issues with taller frame sunglasses as well, but that wasn’t something I experienced thus far.

I haven’t wrecked while wearing the Troy Lee A1, so I also can’t account for the durability of the design. I suppose like most riders- we trust the manufacturer to produce a quality product, one that’s only necessary in the worst case scenarios.

As for quanative scores- I’d give the A1 an easy 5 out of 5.

Book Review: High Crimes, by Michael Kodas (2008)

High Crimes, The fate of Everest in an age of greed is a climbing story, in a way. It might be better read like true crime. Because at the core of the narrative, it’s not about elevation, but manslaughter.

The book illustrates in harrowing detail the conceit, ego, and indifference that plague extreme sports, especially alpine mountaineering. (It has been argued that such hobbies attract the very personality types that embody and perpetuate the behaviors). If you’ve read any mountaineering literature, you already know the characteristics. Every published memoir featuring big mountain expeditions contains anecdotes and descriptions of aggravating human interactions. However, this particular story weaves together several interrelated incidents that can only leave the reader believing that the 8,000 meter peaks are attracting sociopaths.

A proper book review would give the reader an honest glimpse into the quality and structure of the book in question. Unlike many climbing titles published, there is no celebratory, self-congratulating summit conquest in these pages. This isn’t a crime story with a mystery to unravel- the villains and victims are introduced from the outset. The author explains exactly who the perpetrators are, and what horrors they commit. But I won’t overshare the contents of this book, not because of some surprising twist- but because the events are too incredulous to recap.

High Crimes shares an analysis of some of the darkest incidents to take place on the world’s highest mountain. It also addresses aspects of the human condition which manifest in the worst possible manner when money and oxygen are on the line. As someone casually familiar with the events that take place in the book, I was appalled by the details. The accidents described- and even the word “accident” will seem too forgiving- elicited both fear and disgust in me. The brazen callousness, even disdain, exhibited by some of climbing’s most undeserving participants in frightening.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in extreme sports and alpine climbing. I won’t go so far as saying this is required reading, unless you are actually interested in taking part in a guided climb or commercial expedition. Because in that case- read it. Read it before you exchange money with anyone perpetrating their skills in the alpine. Read it before you land in Kathmandu. Read it before you rope up with a stranger on a mountain.

The reader will benefit from having read a number of other climbing titles. While not at all critical to understanding this book, the following list includes works by other authors that Kodas referenced, or provide background to events depicted:

Bourkreev, Anatoli, & Dewalt, G. Weston. (1997) The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest. New York: St Martins Press

Breashears, David (1999) High Exposure. Simon & Schuster

Krakauer, Jon (1997) Into Thin Air: A Personal account of the Mount Everest Disaster. New York: Villard Books

Viesturs, Ed. (2006) No Shortcuts to the Top. Broadway Books

Viesturs, Ed. (2014) The Mountain: Epic Adventures on Everest. Touchstone.

Weathers, Beck (2000) Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest. Bantam

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