The Cleanest Line

Invoking Summer with The Dirtbag Diaries

Do you have a ritual or a tradition for welcoming in summer? Dirtbag Diaries host Fitz Cahall shares his on today's podcast. Here's Fitz:

Up in the Northwest, we say that summer doesn’t actually start until July 4th. Right now, we’re experiencing our annual June gloom. So I thought it was time to invoke blue skies and warmer temps. A season’s worth of summits, single track and lounging on the riverbank is just around the corner. It’s time for me to do my part in the changing of the seasons.

Listen to The Shorts -- Summer Invocation
(mp3 - 7:00 - right-click to download)

In between full-length episodes of The Dirtbag Diaries, listeners like you have the chance to narrate your own story on the show -- these are the Shorts. To submit your story for consideration, visit The Dirtbag Diaries and look for the Story Suggestions? link in the sidebar. You can subscribe to the show via iTunes and RSS, or connect with Fitz via Facebook and Twitter.

Happy Independence Day everyone. Hope you all have a great long weekend.

[With thanks to New Belgium Brewing for supporting the show.]

Dear & Yonder – Daring Stories of Ladies United by the Sea

Coming off two premiere screenings in Florida and Texas, a new all-female surf film, Dear & Yonder, will make its Southern California debut tonight at the La Paloma Theater in Encinitas -- site of The Present premiere not long ago. Directed by Tiffany Campbell and Andria Lessler, the film features a dynamic cast of ladies – including Patagonia ambassadors Belinda Peterson-Baggs and Liz Clark – who are connected by a spirit of adventure and love for the ocean. The hope is that the depth and beauty of the film will inspire viewers to bring something positive back to their respective communities and lineups. Hit up the Dear & Yonder site for the full list of tour dates. If you'd like another taste of what the movie will offer, visit the Tin Shed and check out Liz Clark's Voyage. Liz will also share a slide show at the Ventura screening on July 18th.

[With thanks to Roxy, Woodshed Films and Surfing Magazine for supporting this film.]

Yoga in the Park + Fitness World = Sushi

If you are visiting Squamish this summer and you enjoy a refreshing session of conscious-breathing and tension-releasing exercises, then go to The Yoga Studio on 2nd Ave any day of the week. But if you are here only for a Sunday, then you gotta check out “yoga in the park.” My girlfriend Lydia taught yesterday's class and there will be a different teacher there each week, as there have been different teachers in weeks prior. The fee is by donation only, so whatever you can afford. But imagine this...

…unfolding your mat onto a perfectly cut lawn of green grass and three-leaf clovers at 9am in the morning. The sun filters through the tall trees, warming your skin and illuminating the park. 25 people in a circle wrapped around the teacher, with a gentle breeze behind your ears and the occasional cyclist riding by. The ground beneath you is not a hardwood floor, but the earth itself; you can feel the subtle bumps under your toes, but it makes you smile. The class is rhythm and flow, a constant state of moving, bending and twisting, lunging and holding -- all the stuff we know we should be doing but just can’t seem to make the time for. Then, after about an hour and fifteen minutes, the heart rate comes back down slowly. You invert into a shoulder stand, headstand, whatever you like, and feel the rush of newly oxygenated blood surging through the stream. The abdomen releases, the tension disappears, you are weightless and calm and the sound of each chirping bird in the distance falls quiet. The sound of your breath is the only thing you hear. You take a deep inhale of the freshest mountain air and unwind into corpse pose, eyes closed, hovering above the ground until the electricity in your body is reduced to nothing more than light waves of energy scanning over you. Ten minutes pass -- it may as well be a lifetime. Your lids open tenderly and look up to see the bubbling white clouds taking shape. You are now ready to begin your day. Your perfect day.

[That is the best way I can describe yoga in the park to you -- that’s what it was for me. Here’s what it looks like when you look up into the leaves. Photo © Sonnie Trotter]

Freedom to Roam: A Rancher and an Environmentalist Search for Common Ground on Wolves (Part 1)

The presidential election last fall gave many environmentalists new hope, but the Obama administration has since outraged many gray wolf advocates by upholding a Bush-era decision to take them off the endangered species list in over half a dozen states.

After being nearly wiped out in most of the country, recovery efforts in the last two decades have helped the wolf population in the Northern Rockies rebound to what is now an estimated 1,645 wolves or more. Federal officials – and many ranchers and politicians who have long complained about the impact of wolves on livestock and big game herds – say that's enough. But some environmentalists strongly disagree, including the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). They recently joined other groups in filing a lawsuit in Montana that could temporarily block the resumption of regulated wolf hunts there.

[Female Mexican gray wolf yearling born in 2007 at the California Wolf Center. Photo: Roy Toft, California Wolf Center]

Amidst what has often been cast as a bitter fight between two sides, the NRDC’s Senior Wildlife Advocate Louisa Willcox and local Montana rancher Becky Weed have been working with several ranching groups to come up with new solutions. As a special feature of our current environmental campaign, Freedom to Roam, Patagonia decided to interview these individuals to highlight their willingness to engage in constructive dialogue and search for new alternatives to old environmental problems. We also wanted to understand more about a complicated issue many of us care deeply about. Their answers, provided by email, are below:

Q: Was the Obama administration’s decision on the Northern Rockies gray wolves a surprise, given the expected change in approach of the administration on environmental issues?

Becky Weed (rancher): The administration’s decision was not shocking, although I was a little surprised that it came as quickly as it did. I do not see this decision as a sign that the Obama administration is in lockstep with the previous administration by any stretch of the imagination. The more revealing steps will come as we see how the delisting details are handled now that a delisting process is underway.

Louisa Willcox (NRDC): The Department of Interior’s decision to delist Northern Rockies gray wolves was a big disappointment. The decision was announced in March, before the administration had put key high-level officials in the Department of Interior and a new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in place.  We do not believe they adequately reviewed the Bush rule, which has significant problems - problems so severe that we are challenging the decision in court

Patagonia Athletes Score Big Over the Weekend

Two big contests took place over the weekend and Patagonia athletes shone brightly on both the trail and the ocean.

On Saturday, the Western States Endurance Run offered ultrarunners the challenge of 100 brutal miles stretching from Squaw Valley, California to Auburn, California. Patagonia ultrarunning team member Hal Koerner was the overall winner with a time of 16:24:55 and Patagonia ambassador Krissy Moehl took second place in the women's category (13th overall) with a time of 19:26:02. Other Patagonia ultrarunning team members in the race: Jasper Halekas (4th place overall – 16:56:26) and Andy Jones-Wilkins (11th place overall – 18:46:52). Congratulations to all the Patagonia ultrarunners on their stellar performances. Hit the jump to see a video interview with Hal Koerner after the race.

[Patagonia trail running ambassador Krissy Moehl makes a river crossing during the Western States 100. Photo: Jenny Uehisa]

Also taking place this weekend, the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) hosted their annual National Championships which is considered the highest profile youth surfing event in America. Taking first place in the Open Women's division was Patagonia ambassador Lakey Peterson (14). You can read more about Lakey's underdog victory and see "the first girl ever to pull an air at Nationals" on Surfline.com. This amazing win comes right on the heels of her first-place finish (girls 16 & under) at the WSA Prime Championships in Oceanside. Congratulations Lakey!

[Patagonia women's surf ambassador Lakey Peterson surfs well beyond her 14 years. WSA Prime Championships, Oceanside, CA. Photo courtesy of Fletcher Chouinard Designs]

The Present – Final US Tour Show and DVD Release Party at Patagonia Cardiff

On Saturday, June 13, Thomas Campbell's latest (and last?) surf film, The Present, came to Patagonia Cardiff, completing its journey of screenings around the U.S. and culminating with the release of the film on DVD. About 550 folks filled in to watch the free screening. The filmmaker and some surfers and shapers from the film were there – Thomas, Dan Malloy, Danny Hess, Devon Howard, Jon Wegener – along with one of the bands from the soundtrack, Ray Barbee & the Mattson 2. Jon Wegener gave away an alaia surfboard to surf trivia winner Whitney Gould. And Richard Kenvin presented a new trailer for his Hydrodynamica project, lining up all of the boards featured in the film which represents 60 years of San Diego based surfboard design all stemming from Bob Simmons. 

If you weren't able to make any of the screenings, The Present DVD is now available for mail order through Patagonia Cardiff (call 760-634-9886 or email: store_cardiff@patagonia.com) and Woodshed Films. You can also purchase the DVD at select Patagonia Retail Stores: Austin, Boston, Boulder, Cardiff, Chicago, Freeport, Portland, Reno, Santa Cruz, Seattle, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Soho, Upper West Side and Ventura (picked mine up yesterday). Please call first for availability. The Present soundtrack is available on iTunes.

From hints of the alaia footage in the movie, to the first hi-res trailer, to recaps from the Encinitas and Ventura screenings, to the new trailer, we've tried to take you along for as much of this journey as possible.  Thanks for coming, it's been a fun ride. For alerts on future events at Patagonia Cardiff, tune in to their Twitter feed. See you in the water.

[With thanks to Thomas Campbell, Woodshed Films, Surfing Magazine, Devon Howard, Dan Malloy and everyone involved with the film and the tour. Video by Tough Pug Pictures.] 

Clean Energy Bill May Be Voted on This Week – Freedom to Roam Provisions Included

The American Clean Energy and Security Act, HR 2454, (known as Waxman-Markey) might go to a vote in the House later this week.

At Patagonia, we have a particular interest in the provisions of the bill that support wildlife corridors and protection of migratory routes for wildlife. Specifically:

• The Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Fund, which will provide additional money for numerous state and federal conservation programs to assist fish and wildlife adapt to the effects of climate change.
• The National Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program, which establishes a new program in the Department of the Interior to support states and tribes efforts to understand and map fish and wildlife habitat migration corridors, and to expand the use of computer database tools for wildlife management.
• Land and Water Conservation Fund, which protects properties around the country that are important to fish and wildlife.

The United States is home to many species of wildlife that depend on wide open spaces for migration. The ability to move unimpeded across the landscape is essential to the conservation of pronghorn, salmon, elk, migratory birds, ocelot, sage grouse, and many other animals. The Western Governors' Association, state and federal agencies, conservation groups, sportsmen, ranchers, and many others recognize the importance of protecting these vital wildlife corridors, especially because of the impending problems from climate change.

Backyard Adventures: Toiyabe Trails - Part 3

Today, we've got the final installment in Old School's Toiyabe Trails series (previous posts: Part 1, Part 2).

We personally believe any trail story is best served up with a cuppa steamy brew (or a frosty barley pop, your discretion) and the right music. Find your trail traveling theme music right here, courtesy of the Risky Biscuit Hayseed Hoot's weekly podcast.
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The morning after our unplanned layover day dawned clear and sunny, and while there was still a stiff breeze, it was nothing like the howling winds of the day before so we packed up and headed north. The TCT is split neatly in half by the Ophir Creek Road and the three of us have been backpacking long enough to never pass up the chance to lighten our load – we took advantage of the road to drop a food cache at the top of the pass before starting our hike. By lunch we were at the cache and by dinner we were enjoying cold beer and hamburgers.

[Flat spots are a rare treat along the northern stretch of the trail. Photo: OldSchool]

Empty Nesters

Kim Stroud, who manages our sample room here at Patagonia HQ in Ventura, came walking in the other morning with one of those cardboard boxes used to carry live things. In her "spare" time, Kim is executive director of the nonprofit Ojai Raptor Center, so she's always nurturing some kind of critter, not just raptors. I've seen her with possums, sea gulls, pelicans. But she says she's also cared for bobcats, fawns, even a couple of coyotes. She also deals with dead critters. Fish & Game and the Sheriff's department often call her when they find freshly car-killed deer. She dresses the carcasses and feeds the meat to her eagles.

This time Kim had baby swallows in the box. Seems the fellows at a Ventura business (which shall go unnamed) decided the bird's mud nests were a little messy. So they had their workers turn the hose on them (hey isn't there a drought in Southern Cal?), washing down about 55 birds that were just five days from being able to fly. One of the biologists who works for the business stopped the hosing when she saw all the baby swallows lying on the ground, many of them in puddles of water.

[Kim Stroud, Patagonia sample room manager and executive director of the Ojai Raptor Center, hand-feeds a baby swallow, one of 55 hosed out of their nests. All photos: Jim Little]

Dirtbag Diaries: The Dreamers

It's Friday, and the Dirtbag Diaries are here to help you celebrate solstice with some sonic storytelling. Show host Fitz Cahall has the beta on today's episode:

“I had convinced myself at that point that my goal was so important it was worth dying for,” says alpine master Steve House about his 15-year-old dream of climbing the Rupal Face. Big Dreams require big commitment. We may not all dream on the same scale and commitment levels, but we all share dreams. They pull us through our lives on solid ground. Today writer and climber Sarah Garlick presents: The Dreamers – reflections from four generations of the world’s best climbers: Steve House, Henry Barber, Steve Schneider, and Colin Haley. In the process Sarah found out a little bit about herself. Do you have a life long dream? What if you completed it? What if you never realized it?

Listen to "The Dreamers"
(mp3 - 31:15 - right-click to download)

You can subscribe to the Dirtbag Diaries via iTunes and RSS, or connect with Fitz via Facebook and Twitter. For more from today's guest host, Sarah Garlick, check out her book Flakes, Jugs, and Splitters: A Rock Climber's Guide to Geology or her Patagonia field report "Open Bivy."

Visit the myspace page of The Secret Life of Sofia to purchase their album Seven Summits -- the featured music on today's episode. Says Fitz, "I really dig this album. It's very difficult to write songs that speak to the power of high places without falling into ridiculous cliché. I've listened to this album dozens of times and at each listen I find some new historical reference or emotion I recognize from my own connection to the mountains. It is in some ways as much a novel as it is a record and [lead singer Kyle] Wilson avoids the cliché by sticking to inventive images that we all know and recognize but would never think to include in a song. Seriously, check it out."