A 360º Panoramic Video Mountain Bike Ride Through Moab

Moab, Utah is considered one of the best places to go mountain biking in the U.S. – if not the world. There are an abundance of trails for a variety of skill levels and the views are simply spectacular. One of the more popular of those trails is Slickrock, a 13-mile long loop that offers a significant physical and technical challenge. In short, it isn't a trail for beginners.

For those of us who haven't had the opportunity to ride Slickrock, there is a great new panoramic interactive video that allows us to check it out for ourselves. The video was made by three men – Joergen Geerds, Dan Finkler and Mark Sevenoff– who used six Sony Xperia Android phones to capture the entire 360º view around them as they rode. The result is a very cool interactive video that allows you to switch views, pan and zoom, and generally experience the entire ride without fear of crashing.

You can check out this amazing interactive video by clicking here. I've also embedded another video below which gives you an idea of what the project was all about and how it was made, using rather simple technology. It's an interesting piece, but really only sets the stage for the interactive version, which will keep you entertained for some time. Be sure to switch between the various views. The "Little Planet" option is especially trippy.

The Descent II: Mountain Biking In Utah

While back there was a great wingsuit video making the rounds called "The Descent" that was not only extremely well done, but served as a great commercial for Casio's line of G-Shock watches, which were used prominently in the short film. Now, Casio is back with "The Descent II," which leaves the skydiving behind in favor of some great mountain biking in Utah.

This time out, riders Cameron Zink and Kyle Strait are testing out the G9300, a solar powered time piece designed to take a lot of punishment, that also features a built in thermometer and digital compass. While it looks like a fine watch for active people however, the video is all about the riding, and well worth watching for that alone. It is very nicely done.

Outdoor Retailer Wrap-Up

As I mentioned, I spent last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the Outdoor Retailer convention in Salt Lake City checking out the latest and greatest gear that is in the works from our favorite gear manufacturers. OR is an interesting event to say the least. It is part-gear nirvana and part-networking meet-up, with a liberal dose of party thrown into the mix. The 3+ days that I spent there were a bit of a blur, as I hurried from one meeting to the next, waving at old friends and new from across the hall as I went.

Today, I'm suffering from Post OR Syndrome in part because for the time that I was there, I was steeped in adventure culture. Everyone is constantly talking about the latest gear, some big trip they have planned, or the peak they just bagged. The attendees, for the most part, are fit, athletic, and excited to be there and shae their experiences. While I was there, I spotted Conrad Anker, met Ueli Steck, and had nice long conversations with both Everest climber Ben Clark and adventure racer Mike Kloser. After a few days in that environment, it is rough to return to normal life where most people are just worried about the weather. (It'll be 105ºF here in Austin today by the way)

While I was at the show, I saw a host of really great gear coming from a bunch of different companies. Over the next few weeks, I'll likely be sharing some of the things I saw there with you so you can put them on your radar for the weeks ahead, when they'll actually be on sale. If you followed my Twitter feed while I was away, you probably already got a glimpse of some of them. Needless to say however, there was a lot of innovative gear on display, some of which we should all be genuinely excited about.

While I didn't have time to post OR updates to my blog while I was there, I did want to offer a couple of websites that have posted some information about what was on display. Check out the Adventure Journal for instance to see a nice overview of a number of products and Trailspace.com did an excellent job, as always, with their coverage as well. You'll find day-by-day updates from them by clicking here. Outside magazine also has their list of the best gear of the show here.

Today, I'm working on catching up on e-mail and getting my feet back under me, while also posting updates from the world of adventure. I'll have more to share from OR in the days ahead, but for now, all I'll say is that if you ever get a chance to go yourself, take the opportunity. It is a complete blast and well worth the trip.

Paddling The Zion Narrows

The Zion Narrows is a path that follows the Virgin River through 16-miles of spectacular canyon scenery in Zion National Park in Utah. At times, the canyon reaches as much as 2000 feet deep, with the river running just 20-30 feet in width. As you can imagine, it is an amazing place, and a popular hike for those with an adventurous spirit and a great pair of water shoes.

As you've no doubt heard, it was a banner year for snow fall in the western U.S., and because of that, rivers are high right now, and the whitewater is really flowing. Last weekend, a group of kayaker set out to take advantage of that, and went on a two-day, self supported paddle through the Zion Narrows. The result is the video below, shot entirely on helmet cam, which show off just how amazing the Narrows are. Fantastic stuff!

Are You "Durable?" If So, You Can Win A Trip From GearJunkie.com

Our friends over at GearJunkie.com are running another contest, and this time they're giving away an adventure trip to Utah that will include attending the Outdoor Retailer trade show this summer. That's right! You could win an all expense paid trip to Gear Nirvana, where all the latest outdoor products will be revealed for the first time.

The Gear Junkie, along with Cordura Brand Fabrics, is searching for "The Most Durable Person" to give the prize to, and if you think you are that person, or know someone who is, you can enter the contest by clicking here.  Simply use the form on that page to submit a quick story, photos, or a video and tell the GJ Crew why you or your friend/family member are among the outdoors’ “most durable” people. In this case, you are free to define "durable" in any way that you like, but be sure to get creative with your entry.

The contest will run through the month of May, with the best entries getting posted on GearJunkie.com over the next few weeks. A winner will be picked shortly after that, and that person will be traveling to Utah in August with their airfare, accommodations, OR attendance, and at least one adventure activity paid for.

Good luck and have fun with this!

The Rhino Relay Looks Fun!

The Rhino Relay, a new adventure race scheduled to take place in September in Utah, looks like it trying to do something new with the format that could appeal to a different crowd than the typical adventure racer.  The Rhino will indeed be a true relay, with up to six team members taking on various stages of the event where there skills best suit them. So, for example, you can have your best mountain bike rider cover that stage, then hand of the "baton" if you will to your trail runner, and so on. Stages will also include swimming, orienteering, and rappelling as well.

The event will be held on September 24th in Yuba State Park, located not far from Nephi, UT. Since it is still six months off, you still have time to find some partners to join you in the event. Check out the video below for more.

Looks like it could be a lot of fun!