the 911's alter ego. @expoportal @porsche #rallyracing #parisdakar
What do you think of when you envision a Porsche 911? Probably a fast roadster that can hug mountain curves at 60 miles per hour. Well that is what I used to think of too.
"Seven-time Pikes Peak Champion Jeff Zwart discusses the alter ego of the Porsche 911 - Rallying and Off-Roading. Watch Jeff attack Pikes Peak and then drive the Porsche Museum's Paris-Dakar winning Type 953, the All-Wheel-Drive 911 precursor to the 959."
Jeff Zwart is a professional rally driver who's father bought a 911 2nd hand and when it was time for Jeff to learn to drive he learned in a Porsche as well. Its no surprise that he has claimed so many championships behind the wheel of one.
This is the Porsche Museum's Paris-Dakar winning Type 953. It makes me think that maybe Mountain State Overland should consider something like this as our next overland vehicle, maybe not. Either way it is a sweet ride!
Happy motoring!
Referenced by Expedition Portal
happiness arcade. @cocacola @greygravy @cnet #recycle #awareness
The city of Dhaka in Bangladesh has a population of 15 million, a major refuse problem and very little awareness of recycling. Recently, the Coca-Cola Company and Grey Advertising stepped in with an attempt to make a difference - the "Happiness Arcade."
With a slot built to accept a plastic Coke, credits are issued to play "Happiness Arcade" when players recycle.
The Grey Group - Dhaka released six standalone arcade machines throughout the city for just six days and collected thousands of plastic bottles. Those bottles were turned into pellets and reused to make other plastic products.
While some could argue that this is yet another campaign for the Coca Cola Company; the truth is, this simple little arcade game gave street wanders an opportunity to cash in on their sugar rush and learn to appreciate the value of an empty plastic bottle.
Regardless of its resemblance to Atari's Pong video game of the 80s, the recycling arcade machine concept may be rolled out in other parts of the world as part of a larger campaign to encourage recycling awareness.
Referenced from CNET.
weekly video II - huayhuash. @bikemag @joeyschusler #epic #bike #adventure
weekly video II: "Huayhuash" - a Joey Schusler film
This past winter, three friends set out on a self supported ride, looking for nothing more than a truly genuine and thrilling experience. They planned to circumnavigate one of the most wonderful and wicked mountain ranges in the world – the Huayhuash in the Andes of Peru.
spruce knob. @wv_tourism @themountaininst @foresthistory #explore #protect #appalachia
Nestled within the Monongahela National Forest, Spruce knob is West Virginia's high point; peaking out at nearly 4900 ft. The summit of Spruce Knob has a definite alpine feel, much more so than most other mountains of the Southern Appalachians. The upper few hundred feet are covered in a dense spruce forest; a relic boreal forest environment similar to those found in northern New England and Canada.
Spruce Knob's climate can be classified as cold continental or highland. Summers are cool and often damp, with thunderstorms common both in the spring and summer. It's cold and snowy winters average over 180 inches of annual snowfall often crippling its access roads.
Just a portion of the 15,000 visitors that jammed Spruce Knob Lake on opening day circa 1953
Established in 1965, the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area was the first National Recreation Area designated and protected by the US Forest Service. With over 75 miles of hiking trails, a 25 acre lake and a vast network of gravel roads, Spruce Knob is invites nearly every adventurer.
The Spruce Knob Mountain Center's lodges are patterned after Mongolian yurts
Next weekend, Mountain State Overland is heading to the summit for Episode 5. We'll setup base camp at The Mountain Institute's Spruce Knob Mountain Center and spend the rest of the weekend exploring this Appalachian highland while advocating The Mountain Institute's conservation efforts.
To learn more about Spruce Knob and The Mountain Institute, point your browser to the MSO Facebook and Twitter pages, enjoy still shots from our trip and anticipate the Episode 5 release near the end of May.
Referenced from Wikipedia, The Mountain Institute, the Forest History Society and other Google Images.
beer mile world record. @fittish #recordsmashed #beermile
Ok, so I have a new hero, James Nielsen, a two-time NCAA 5,000-meters champion. Why you ask? He just smashed the beer mile world record over the weekend with a time of four minutes, 57 seconds. I didn't even know this was a sport!
It seems that the beer mile is more complicated than you might think, there are official rules and everything. Each competitor drinks four cans of beer and runs four laps, beers must be consumed before the lap is begun, within the transition area which is the 10 meter zone before the start/finish line on a 400m track. The race begins with the first drink, no acceptations for the ladies either, comptitors run a complete mile (1609 meters). Competitors must drink canned beer, no substitutes. The beer must be a minimum of 5% alcohol by volume. Each beer can must not be opened until the competitor enters the transition zone on each lap. And my favorite, competitors who vomit before they finish the race must complete one penalty lap at the end of the race (immediately after the completion of their 4th lap).
According to James, "I have studied the anatomy of the esophagus and the upper sphincter," Nielsen said of his preparation. Also, "I have consulted with some of the best chemical minds on the planet about the chemistry composition of beer and carbon dioxide displacement in a can."
"He was rewarded with a record that few will challenge, mostly because it's kind of stupid."
"That is really painful," Nielsen said after his record. "Holy shit."
I am thinking this should be an event in the next Olympic Games. What about you?
Referenced by FitTish