Where in the World is Chilly?

***Missing Turtle Alert***
***Missing Turtle Alert***
Please be advised we have an all points bulletin out for Chilly, the Hot Chillys' wonder turtle. Last seen in mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, Chilly is a black sea turtle whose native range is off the coast of Baja California. Eyewitnesses claim to have spotted Chilly golfing in the Arizona desert and communing with the snow gods of the East coast. We believe her partner in this daring escape is friendly. Please bring our girl home. We love you Chilly.

Please note: this picture (courtesy of gummylump.com) is of Chillys' sister, as we have no recent images. But she's a turtle - how can you tell the difference?

Mion Footwear Gains APMA Seal of Acceptance

We all knew that Mion made supremely comfortable footwear. Now experts agree!

Mion Footwear has been awarded the prestigious American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance. The APMA Seal of Acceptance recognizes products that contribute to better foot health.

Mion was awarded the seal for its beneficial attributes that promote quality foot health. Mion can address minor foot issues with its customized and personalized fit attributes delivered through its Ergomorphic Footbed and Super Structure upper designs.

Accepted Mion styles include the Current Sandal, Pen Shell Clog, Ebb Tide Slide, Slack Tide Thong and the Fast Canyon.

The APMA Seal of Acceptance Program recognizes products which have been found beneficial to foot health and of significant value when used in a consistently applied program of daily foot care and regular professional treatment. The Seal of Acceptance evaluates footwear, materials, insoles, hosiery, and equipment.

Best News Ever!

It’s official! Eating ice cream is good for you. Or at least making ice cream is good for you. Congratulations to Industrial Revolution. Their Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker has been honored with the Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center. I have always known that anything that makes you as happy as ice cream, must be healthy. Now, even mom and dad say so!

eVent® fabrics receives top marks in Outdoor Magazine

eVent fabrics is recognized in this month's issue of Germany's acclaimed Outdoor Magazine. The test compared 11 different jackets.

My high school German is a bit rusty, but the review clearly states that "eVent distances all other fabrics in breathability."

You can read the full review on the Outdoor Website.

Jetboil Is Hungry For New Recipes

Jetboil has announced a recipe contest that runs through January 15th. The winner in each of the five categories - breakfast, lunch/snack, dinner, dessert, and beverage - will win a Backcountry Gourmet Cooking Set. And maybe get themselves featured on the Jetboil website or in their catalog. You can check out all the rules and specifics here.

While this picture may have you thinking that the secret ingredient for this contest is Mentos -the freshmaker, there are actually no such limitations. The ingredients are up to you, so bring your creativity!

GoPro's Helmet HERO Ships Nov. 27

So you’re thinking about adding the new GoPro Helmet HERO to your wish list this holiday season. Here is this low down:

The Helmet HERO is a tiny mirco video camera that shoots up to 56 minutes of continuous video with sound with a 2GB SD card. It also shoots hands free images with a "photo every five second" feature. The attachment fits any vented and non-vented helmet. And also includes flat mounts that you can stick to any piece of gear or equipment.

With the Helmet HERO comes a head strap (like a head lamp strap) to which you can attach the camera when you don't need a helmet but want to capture hands free video and images.

As you can see from this photo, HERO creator Nicholas Woodman definitely digs his HERO.

Shipping to stores everywhere on November 27th, the HERO is definitely a gift that will keep up with the extreme adventurer’s idea of a holiday.

More information is available at www.goprocamera.com.

The Marilyn Fund

On October 3, Marilyn Cieszykowski, partner of Gareth Martins, director of marketing at Osprey Packs and friend of Verde PR, was seriously injured during a bicycle crash in the highlands of Ecuador.

Thanks to a remarkable effort to medical air evacuate her back to the states, the overall outlook is for a strong, full recovery over time. Visit her blog to follow her progress.

However, the costs of medical air evacuation were not covered by health insurance. Local fundraisers, organized by Osprey and friends of Marilyn and Gareth, have started to chip away at the debt. But there is a long a way to go with over $50,000 remaining.

Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible contribution can send a check to:

Greater Dolores Action
In the memo write “Marilyn Fund”
PO Box 14
Dolores, CO 81323

Come Ride With Ellsworth

Ellsworth’s newest handcrafted bike, and one of the most innovative designs, is The Ride. Recently The Ride was featured in Popular Science due to its user-benefiting innovations.

Chucking the old and outdated chain-and-gear system out the window, Ellsworth is utilizing a technology that Leonardo da Vinci dreamed about during the late 15th century.

Putting old ideas with new technologies and you get The Ride.

Read the full article featuring The Ride in the December issue of Popular Science.

The Ride
- Ultra Lightweight Aluminum Frame
- Aluminum Front Forks and Components
- NuVinci CVP Drivetrain
- Colors: All American Red, Pearlescent White Vador Black

Backpacker Reviews White Sierra Rainwear

Backpacker Magazine puts White Sierra's Sierra Tek Rainwear Jacket through a rigorous test...and the jacket receives glowing praise.

The review states: "One tester even stood under a 70-foot waterfall in the Grand Canyon for 15 minutes and no moisture seeped through."

Not bad for $100.

From the February 2008 issue:

First Turns of the Year

I’ve just returned from my annual pilgrimage to Breckenridge for the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Fall Training Event. Kudos to Breckenridge for defying the big, fat high-pressure system that has been sitting over the greater American West. One run was open with surprisingly great snow. There was no shortage of sliders, either. Sure – terrifying at times, but reassuring nonetheless – that the ski/board/tele bum mentality is not only alive, but kicking. Damn the crowds and the limited terrain, we all just wanted to be out there – goofy grins and all.

PSIA put on a great event this year. Fall Training is for the upper level Education Staff and the Trainer Accredited members. I had the honor of skiing with someone I’d never met, Charlie Stocker from Vail. He rips - downright inspiring. The entire PSIA organization is really indicative of the greater outdoor industry - a group of talented people whose dedication to the sport they love drives their pursuit of excellence. It wouldn’t work without the detail-oriented folks, the visionaries, and the beer. (The latter may be debatable in some circles.)

(Note: Due to the compromising nature of the photos taken in Breck, I must overtly steal from the internet. Special thanks to the fabulous Wayne Wong.)

White Sierra Unveils Fall 2008 Line

Coming soon to a winter trade show near you...

Nikwax's Nick Brown in The B.O.S.S. Report

Nick Brown, founder of Nikwax, started manufacturing environmentally sound products over 20 years ago and is currently leading the industry in eco-innovations and persistence.

On the tail of the news of a Swedish study revealing Nikwax products as 100% fluorochemical free, the B.O.S.S. Report follows up with an op-ed piece from Nick Brown.

In this piece, Brown speaks out against the practice of manufacturing products, such as after-market waterproofing and care products, in a way that causes or creates harmful fluorocarbons. These fluorochemicals have negative impacts on the environment and humans and the responsibility starts with the manufacturer.

Brown also recently spoke at the Rendezvous about this kind of corporate responsibility.

Read the full article on SportsOneSource. Also check it out on their Blog.

You may also read more about Nikwax’s stance on fluorocarbons by visiting their Website.

What the Hell?

Go big or go home!

At the Hot Chilly's sales meeting in Scottsdale today, I golfed for the VERY first time! And guess what? I am not quitting my day job...

La Sportiva Fireblade- Shoe of Choice for Parkour

I was watching a show called E:60 on ESPN last night (OK, my husband was watching and I was checking email in the same room) and they ran a segment on Parkour. Crazy stuff - a blend of running, climbing and gymnastics - with a liberal dose of insanity. And everyone knows insanity is the key ingredient to any great sport.

Anyway, the show grabbed my attention just in time to see a couple of beauty shots of the La Sportiva Fireblade! Apparently a shoe of choice among elite traceurs in training. Who knew? First bicycle polo, then truck pulling, and now this. Is there anything La Sportiva shoes aren't good for? I guess the same features that help you stick to the side of a mountain can help you stick to man made structures too.

To see for myself how well Fireblades perform for Parkour, I had George go out and give it a try (he was already wearing his Fireblades today). After watching a couple YouTube videos he was ready to go. He made it all the way to the wall around our parking lot... and the doctors say he should recover fully. Guess it is harder than it looks on TV.