Buffalo check?

LINK: Plaid is the New Black

First day with a helmet cam

What Waitsfield wants

Here's a "word cloud" based on the comments attached to the recent Waitsfield town survey.... it's an interesting gauge of what people in a small Vermont town are interested in.

I (heart) darkness

According to the weather guy, there will be 23.5 hours of darkness in Vermont today. I checked.

The darkness will provide a wonderful backdrop for watching the meteor shower, and if you haven't seen one of these before, it's kind of like being visited by the ghost of 1990s Christmas Past bearing a huge black velvet Magic Eye poster ("I saw it! I saw it! It's a shark!).

Being ensconced (SAT word, 4 points) by blackness is also great for

a) ignoring late season yardwork;
b) blowing off your daily run;
c) falling asleep in your kid's bed at 7:45 pm;
d) all of the above.

During an imaginary interview with Katie Couric about my non-existent tell-all autobiography ("Open, for the Right Price"), I had a hard time answering her penetrating inquisition: "what's your favorite part of November?"

Was it the weekends full of freezing rain? The guaranteed overeating and family-inspired binge-ing of Thanksgiving? The need to wear blaze orange in my backyard so I don't take a shell through my fleshy parts? No, no ... I tell Katie as I pantomime a pat on her on her head and try not to get freaked out by her tiny little hands .... it's the darkness.

Nothing makes a gray day look brighter than bookends of pure, dripping blackness, and riding the cruiser to the mailbox at 3:45 pm is so much more exciting when you wonder if you'll be flattened in the darkness by a speeding UPS van.

For some reason, I always think of Icelanders at this time of year. Apparently, they embrace the darkness like no other nation, setting up brilliant holiday lighting displays and enjoying the aurora borealis from their luxurious lagoons of naturally steaming hot water. They embody a positive spirit year-round, and they are an inspiration to us all (editor's note: Icelanders also lead the modern world in alcohol "enjoyment", the lowest age for losing your virginity, and web traffic at Overstock.com).

How do I love the darkness? Let me count the ways.

OK, I'm thinking. Wait. Here it comes.

Can I get back to you on that?

Hey ... you might look better with a moustache

Death, taxes and John Cusack

There are three things you can count on in this world: death, taxes, and the fact that nobody gets rained on like John Cusack.

As we head into stick season in the Northeast, rain season in the Northwest, and DUI season in the Rocky Mountains, you should be prepared with all the rain-friendly gear you can find for the nasty days of November ahead.

All these beauties come with the official Wicked Outdoorsy stamp of approval -- meaning that they've been personally tested and verified in raining-so-hard-I-wouldn't-even-know-if-I-wet-my-pants conditions.

* The Firetrail Winter, from Ahnu Footwear (LINK) ... A Vibram-soled four season trail runner from the Bay Area innovators, the Firetrail Winter is made with hydrophobic mesh, meaning that unless you're standing in a puddle, your toes will stay nice & toasty. Hydrophobic mesh is a huge step up (no pun intended) from waterproof bootie construction that essentially wraps your foot in a plastic bag. Ickie sweaty, if you know what I mean. ($120).

* The Wet/Dry Backpack, from Aquapac (LINK) ... First introduced in a limited-edition test run, the Wet/Dry Backpack comes with my highest personal recommendation. I dig the urban black exterior as well as the internal "dry" sleeve that's the perfect size for my MacBook. But what I really dig is how the thing carries close to your back. The ultimate commuter pack, in my opinion. ($85).

* The Superlight Insulated Jacket from Simms Fishing Products (LINK) ... Yes, I know, this is not a rain shell. It's a LAYERING PIECE. I love it because when I need some synthetic warmth underneath a shell, this is the way to go. It fits under anything, and the Simms designers say it best: "there's no bad weather, only bad gear." ($150).

* The Buffalo Check Shirt, from Woolrich (LINK) ... When I was ripping down chicken wire in the rain last weekend, this was the obvious choice. When I went into the thick and thorny northern forest for an October exploration, this was the obvious choice. And when I do anything where the physical terrain is just as nasty as the weather, this will continue to be the obvious choice. It's wool, it's durable, and it's warm. Damn warm. ($85).

The nasty

There are two kinds of days in Vermont.

There's the ridiculously good kind -- autumn days of explosive color and optimism, staggering lake-effect blizzards, and lazy midsummer days when living barefoot next to the river starts to seem like a really good idea. And on those good days, it's hard to believe that ten million people don't live here, pushing eachother aside to get their own slice of paradise.

But then, there are the nasty ones.

Full of raw cold that splits your fingers, razor sharp rain that makes "waterproof breathable" seem like a pathetic, sick joke, and a remorseless wind that could give a rat's ass about shattering your fenceline and uprooting your pretty little trees.

The nasty is out there right now. Drumming on the roof, whistling and taunting through the leaky windowpane, and making me altogether wistful for a chance to lockdown in front of a world series game and watch somebody else deal with the weather for a few hours.

The weird thing about the nasty -- for me and for most of the other loonies who call this place their home -- is that we love it. We love the unpredictability of it, the force of it, and the not-so-gentle reminder that our group of silly little humans are just passing through.

I'm comforted by the fact the nasty is out there today, of all days. It's a "day of action," after all.

And what better way to celebrate the ideas of a soft-spoken, funny looking Vermont professor, than by getting bashed around by a raw Vermont day.

VERMONT 350 Links:
Waitsfield: 350 Dance Party @ Big Picture Theater
Burlington: 350 Dance Party @ Higher Ground
Burlington: Starline Rhythm Boys, Bike Recycle Vermont Benefit & 350 party
350 Vermont Twitter

Welcome

Pale Morning Media expands with satellite office in Portland, Maine

Outdoor industry veteran Michael Collin named director of Pale Morning Media-EAST

WAITSFIELD, VERMONT (October 5, 2009) – Pale Morning Media LLC, a public relations and creative communications agency specializing in the outdoor world, this week opened an expansion office in Portland, Maine.

Known as Pale Morning Media-EAST, the new office will be overseen by Michael Collin, a veteran of outdoor industry marketing. Most recently, Collin worked as U.S. brand manager for KJUS Skiwear.

“I have a huge place in my heart for Portland, both personally and professionally,” said Drew Simmons, Pale Morning Media president. “There’s a healthy, wild spirit in Maine – from the spectacular coast to the amazingly pristine interior – and I’m thrilled to have an excuse to spend more time there...."

LINK: Pale Morning Media expands to Maine, full story

Snowboarding with Hitler

Key fobs!

It stores your keys so you don't lose them!

It keeps your keys in a single place so that you know where to find them!

You can put a whole ring of keys on it!

Keys go on. They don't come off!

Key fobs!

Key fobs have cured the epidemic of lost keys in this country!

Key fobs have responded to the need for key safety and key security!

"Honey, have you seen my keys?" .... "Yes, they're on your fob, honey!"

Key fobs!

Key fobs are green!

Key fobs are sustainable!

Key fob innovations come from our work with the US Special Forces!

No fobs were harmed in the creation of this product!

Key fobs!

Key fobs are great for backpacks and tents!

Key fobs are great for ski jackets and ski pants!

Key fobs are great for fanny packs and stadium blankets!

Key fobs!

Key fobs are integrated!

Key fobs are detachable!

Key fobs are the innovation that everyone needs!

Key fobs!

Key fobs are coming soon for Nordic walking gear!

Key fobs are coming soon for stand up paddleboarding!

Key fobs are coming soon for lightly salted, high potassium energy snacks!

Key fobs!

FlyFishing Retailer to leave Denver?

Editor's note: Please see the comments section for notes and clarifications.

What were the highlights from FlyFishing Retailer 2009?

1. Deneki Outdoors "from the floor" blog posts
2. The self-sacrificing mosquito testers in the Simms booth.
3. The Drake Fly Fishing Movie Awards
4. Leaving Denver.

There's a lot of optimism at the 2010 Fly Fishing Retailer show. Unfortunately for Denver, that optimism is going to Salt Lake City.

The announcement came yesterday morning at the AFFTA breakfast prior to the show opening. It was based on the recommendation of the AFFTA board, which at this point is practically the whole exhibitor list for the show. The phrase "the industry is at a crossroad" came up a couple times, and I suppose that's true if you consider a four-way stop with two dead ends a crossroad.

There's good energy at FFR, don't get me wrong. But that good energy is coming from the same place as always: from a handful of fired-up exhibitors, from a few outfitters who don't just love to fish, and from Tom Bie. Other than that, the show is a graveyard.

There's a lot of cement showing at the FFR show this year, due to shrinking exhibitor numbers as well as shrinking booth space. Thank God for casting ponds.

There are also a lot of curtains, which can be directly attributed to the conspicuous absence of Orvis (allegedly, they were planning to exhibit in a hotel ballroom across the street ... and allegedly, they moved into a convention center conference room in half-hearted last minute show of industry "solidarity").

But according to the powers that be, FFR attendance figures are approximately the same as last year ... and the year before, and the year before ... an unarguable fact that isn't necessarily good news.

The current plan is to fold FFR into the Outdoor Retailer show, which is a worthy goal. Even though Kenji (the show director for both FFR and OR) raised his eyebrows and tried to convince me that it'll be a challenge to fold the fly world into the Salt Palace, I'm not convinced it'll be that hard. Not just because of the recent exodus of paddlesports companies from OR, but because the tiny FFR roster could legitimately fit in the lobby of a Holiday Inn Express.

Which brings up a decent point ... instead of trying to make the fly fishing industry bigger ... why not make it smaller? Why not make it an elite few instead of a straggly crowd? Why not take it to a new town every year, showcasing the industry's finest in fish-crazy places like Bozeman or Portland or Burlington?

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of the fly show leaving Denver behind. I think blending with some new faces will do good things for specialty fly business. And I think that Denver never really provided enough sizzle to motivate the industry.

So ... what we have is a tiny, aging group of passionate sporting enthusiasts who have come to a consensus that Denver is a poor choice for their trade show.

Just in time.

Make love to the mountain, Captain Kirk style

Thanks to the American Alpine Institute for this gem. Definitely hit their website for the full Shatner interview.

LINK: American Alpine Institute

In case you were wondering .... Vermont's share of the pie

Just got this in my in box:

"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 will provide stimulus money to many different sectors, including state and local governments. Specifically, Vermont will receive over $700M in recovery and stimulus funds for several areas, including energy efficiency and renewable energy. These funds will be used to position our state to reduce the costs and consumption of energy through two separate US Department of Energy programs: the State Energy Program (SEP) and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). The US Department of Energy has released a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the EECBG Program. The Program’s purposes are to stimulate the economy and to create and retain jobs.

As this is a “formula grant” through the US Department of Energy, allocations to the state of Vermont pre-determined by several factors, including population. Through the EECBG, Vermont communities will also receive the following allocation:

State of Vermont: $10,323,300
State Energy Office (DPS): $9,593,500
Bennington: $57,900
Brattleboro: $56,100
Burlington: $180,200
Colchester: $71,200
Essex: $50,000
Essex Junction: $50,000
Hartford: $50,000
Milton: $50,000
Rutland: $78,900
South Burlington: $85,500

The EECBG instructions require at least 60% of the funds allocated to the State Energy Office to be allocated to the counties, towns and cities that did not receive a formula allocation, or $5.7 million. These funds will be administered through the Clean Energy Development Fund through a competitive process ...."

Hustle & Fish

"Hustle and Fish" Trailer V1 from Rollcast Productions on Vimeo.

Worthy and more .... The creation of Rollcast Productions, and sponsored (among others) by our good friends at Deneki Outdoors' Alaska West lodge.

What I did on my summer vacation

A perfect coincidence of sunset, high tide and a ramp.

ORSM: The industry party

ORSM: Aquapacking the booth

When you're 100% waterproof, people just want to get close to you.

LINK: Aquapac Wild Image Project Happy Hour

ORSM: Timmy O'Neill loves Gibbon

"I love the whole Gibbon scene. Because they're everywhere."
- Timmy O'Neill
LINK: Gibbon Slacklines

ORSM Industry Party: FlipCup Finals

We were robbed.

Big time paddle news

LINCOLN CANOE & KAYAK ACQUIRED BY OUTDOOR, PADDLESPORT INDUSTRY VETERANS

Flagship paddling brand returns to prominence with fresh focus
on core market, community and experience

FREEPORT, MAINE (July 21, 2009) – Breathing new life into a 50-year-old flagship paddling brand, a group of outdoor and paddlesports industry veterans today announced the acquisition of Lincoln Canoe & Kayak.

The ownership group is led by Marc Bourgoin, a 20-year paddlesports professional with experience at all levels of the industry: as a guide, as a business owner, and most recently as a sales representative for Northeast Outdoor Sports, which exclusive supports Johnson Outdoors.

The group also includes Ponch Membreno, a 15-year outdoor retail specialist whose experience includes design and management of retail operations for Patagonia (Freeport; New York City) and Horny Toad (Freeport); as well as Ron Bourgoin, who brings two decades of logistics and operations expertise to the team.

The new owners will take control of Lincoln’s manufacturing facility and retail showroom in Freeport, effective immediately.

“As a group, we want to resurrect the historically powerful Lincoln brand with new personality, new energy and new ideas,” said Bourgoin. “And personally, what’s driving me is a desire to get back to the core of paddling. I want to raise my family as part of the outdoor culture, not part of corporate America.”

Founded in 1959, Lincoln Canoe & Kayak’s current lineup includes eight different canoes, nine different kayaks, and more than a little bit of history. Lincoln’s current brand recognition is fueled in large part by their location, a spot on the high visibility Freeport corridor, a premier retail district that sees more than 6 million visitors each year.

The ownership group got its own start in the early 1990s, when Bourgoin and Membreno shared the guiding duties of a Chewonki Foundation “leader training trip” in Maine’s Bigelow range, and dreamed of one day co-owning their own paddle brand.

“What we share as a group is a foundation of paddlesport experiences with a direct link to education,” said Bourgoin. “To create a sustainable client base, there has to be something more meaningful than just healthy margins: it’s got to be about the experience.”

The new owners’ distinct vision for Lincoln begins with a return of brand focus to the core audience: regional paddlers seeking both quality and community.

While one primary tool for strengthening community will be an interactive, user-friendly showroom in Freeport; the other will be the incorporation into Lincoln of Compass Road Expeditions, a domestic and international paddling guide service founded by Bourgoin in 1997.

“My connection to the sport has always been through guiding and always been through teaching. I‘ve experienced first hand the power of sharing the natural world with people, and there’s no doubt that it can change lives,” said Bourgoin. “It’s all about getting on the water.”

With their 100% made-in-Maine manufacturing facility, Lincoln is certain to appeal to consumers seeking locally made product.

It’s also expected to appeal to national retailers at a time when large brands are increasingly reliant on consolidation and offshore manufacturing – and small, high-quality regional brands are rising in prominence.

“A lot of people are looking at the paddlesports industry and wondering ‘where do we go from here?’“ said Bourgoin. “The quality of the product, the community around the brand, the experience of paddling – all those things are being lost at the expense of higher profit margins. We’re going to change that.”

###