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Pack Like a Pro – Our Vie Weighs In

This spring we partnered with Our Vie, a couple consisting of Cees and Madison accompanied by Vladimir Kitten, to help them achieve a lofty yet amazing goal.  They approached us with a project that we couldn’t help but to get behind: visit every National Park on the Centennial Anniversary of the National Park Service.  With their idea turned into a plan and support online, they hit the road in their 1989 Toyota motorhome, aptly named Vie, and put the plan into action. This week we check in to see how they are using Yakima Products to cover all of those miles with so much gear: Here at OurVie.com we love to do anything outdoors.  If there is any activity that gets us outside of the

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A Mountain Biker’s Guide to Leaving No Trace

Originally written for RootsRated Mountain Biking provides an amazing mix of outdoor adventure. On a bike, you can pedal at a pace that promotes intimacy and interaction with the environment, or you can swoop along a rippin’ singletrack while testing your skills on a steep descent. MTB is one of the most popular forms of outdoor recreation and now, more than ever, responsible riding is essential to helping ensure long-term health of the sport. For mountain biking to continue being a viable outdoor recreation endeavor on public lands, doing so respectfully and with the resource in mind, is vital. These are just a few simple considerations to keep in mind on your next mountain biking adventure and will help ensure

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21 Awesome Places to See in Colorado

Everyone and their mother knows that Colorado is a place of unending beauty and incredible geographic diversity. From the infinite plains in the East, to the craggy spine of the Continental Divide in the center of the state, to the arid desert landscapes in the West, it’s almost unfair how much outdoor goodness exists in Colorado. Editorially speaking, you could spend a lifetime creating lists and stories of things to do and places to see in the state. So why add to the content clutter? Well, because maybe, just maybe, we’ll mention a spot where you haven’t been or that you haven’t heard of, which you can add to your CO bucket list and hopefully experience one day. In this slightly differentiated list,

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REMEMBERING THE LEGENDARY KELLY MCGARRY

Kelly vs The Volcano: A Memorial film from CoLab Creative on Vimeo. Kelly McGarry was an incredible ambassador not only for Yakima and brands alike, but also for the sport of mountain biking. His incredible spirit and enthusiasm transcended what he was able to accomplish on his bike and inspired everyone around him. He will be sorely missed and we were honored to have him as a part of the Yakima family. “In honor of Kelly McGarry, New Zealand’s legendary freeride mountain biker, we Kelly’s friends and family are establishing a trust to support his passion: the New Zealand biking community. McGarry was a hugely influential and inspirational character on the bike and off his bike, touching the lives of bikers,

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21 Awesome Places to See in the Southeast

Originally written for RootsRated On May 1, 2015, two lucky members of the RootsRated team set off on a 5-month, 20,000-mile cross-country road tour across the United States. The main goal of the tour was to connect with over 30 of our specialty retail partners across the country by hosting a series of pint nights and grassroots meet-ups. (The private goal, however, was to see firsthand some of this country’s most beautiful and awe-inspiring terrain.) Here are 21 of our favorite stops from the Southeastern leg of the journey—all highly worth a visit if you’re ever in the area. 1. Foster Falls | TN Jake Wheeler Located 45 minutes west of downtown Chattanooga, Foster Falls offers a sport climbing crag with 179 routes at a

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5 Outstanding National Parks for Paddling

There is something about being on the waters of America’s national parks that nourishes the soul. On the water, the wilderness and your boat meld into one, letting you connect to nature in ways not possible in the city. So, it’s no surprise that paddling in national parks is quickly gaining popularity, from sea to shining sea. From the sea stacks and crashing waves on both coasts, to marshes and lakes around the nation, the wonders of the waters are stunning millions of visitors each year. And why not? With each dip of the oar, new memories are created, and fresh images of the great outdoors replace unwanted stress. Paddling in the national parks is unique and special, and an

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Bus Life Adventure – Episode 6

The last episode of Life In The Bus Lane took us to Valdez, AK where we set up camp in the Tailgate Alaska parking lot. As with any Alaska snowboarding there were the cloudy days and the waiting (or drinking) game but when it went “code blue” we made the most of our time and got after it. We pushed further onto the Tonsina, Tasnuna and Deserted glaciers and found some new and unique lines. We witnessed Kaelin Bamford and Mike Hood descend on a burly line that ripped out into an avalanche right in front of Kaelin. He recaps the experience in an interview while sitting in the outhouse at 19 mile. Alaska is no joke and we learn

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Bus Life Adventure – Episode 5

After the long drive to Alaska and waiting in the grey clouds for almost 9 days we were finally able to hike lines and ride some beastly terrain in Haines, AK. Glacier travel and crevasse crossing was a must to reach these areas but the pay off was worth is as we tilted the noses of our snowboards into steep, deep and technical lines. More snow came in as we were just getting started but an uneasy snowpack made us think twice about spending more time in Haines. Colin Spencer gives insight to his first time in Alaska choosing and riding big lines. Our two biggest tools to get to the lines were our snowmobiles and Verts. The biggest and

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Bus Life Adventure – Episode 4

It’s 2,500 miles from Salt Lake City, UT to Valdez, AK and the Alaskan Highway while stunning can also be treacherous if weather is present. We were lucky on our drive up to only hit a little weather and enjoy the landscape. Before we hit the Yukon we were able to camp out each night in Wal-Mart parking lots and took full dumping advantage in their restrooms in the mornings. A little hiccup at the border crossing with emigration for our cinematographer Brian but once we got into Canada we put the petal to the metal and kept the rubber side down. Gas station junk food such as Cheezies kept us going while we averaged 13-16 hour days to make

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Bus Life Adventure – Episode 3

Episode three of Life In The Bus Lane takes Brock Butterfield, Jacob Carey, Sam King, Adam Chuntz and Claudia Avon to southern Colorado where a predicted seven foot storm total was expected to hit. The first night sleeping on a mountain pass Brock, Jacob and their cinematographer woke up to snow higher than the hood of the bus. With avalanche danger on high alert the Bus Life Adventure crew found themselves staying in The Respect Hut just outside Silverton, CO where they found some deep and safe snow on low angle slopes and in the trees. As snow began to settle they make their way into different zones outside Silverton in hopes of riding some bigger and more technical lines.

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Bus Life Adventure – Episode 2

    Episode 2 of Life In The Bus Lane features the beginning of last winter when we met up with Mike Hood on Vail Pass and tested out the snowpack. It wasn’t as deep as we would have liked it but we did find some good snow and were able to get some filming in before chasing a storm that just hit Jackson Hole. In Jackson we were joined by Colin Spencer, Byron Bagwell and Rajat Bhayani and we ventured into a zone deep in the Wind Rivers where a lake surrounded in natural features greeted us. We played the weather game but were finally able to get a couple blue bird days were we rode some pristine Wyoming

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Bus Life Adventure – Episode 1

Life In The Bus Lane – Episode 1 from Bus Life Adventure on Vimeo.   The sound of avalanche bombs wake me up as I lay in the bed of my truck. It’s below freezing and I have very little free space. The thought of getting out of my sleeping bag to put on my cold boots is painful, yet I know the reward will be worth it. I catch first tram, and try not to think about drying out my wet gear in my cold, cramped truck after a full day of shredding. At the time, I remember thinking, “there must be a better way to chase snow.” After many hours of research, I was able to find a

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CHAD HOOVER IS ALRIGHT

His unorthodox views and outrageous energy levels have earned him the nickname “Knot Right”, but it’s clear to see Chad Hoover is really pretty alright. Tune in to Kayak Bassin TV or Knot Right Kayak Fishing and you quickly get the sense that Chad Hoover loves fishing more than just about anything. The man eats, breathes, and dreams fishing. His enthusiastic, colorful personality make him the consummate TV host to share his passion for the outdoors…especially kayak bass fishing. But Chad is also passionate about serving his country and his fellow citizens—particularly American veterans and soldiers Originally from the Deep South, Chad grew up hunting and fishing, poling and paddling the Louisiana marshlands in a pirogue of his own design.

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Nikki Gregg: Professional Paddler

Meet Nikki Gregg: professional stand up paddler, whitewater racer, surfer, mountain biker, kayaker, fitness instructor, and former snowboarder. If her list of daily activities wasn’t enough to exhaust you, Nikki also runs her own appropriately named business—NRG Life—which is modeled after her energetic and enthusiastic approach to outdoor fitness. It all began after a trip during college to New River Gorge in West Virginia to go whitewater rafting. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn’t know what to wear, what to do, or what to expect and I had no idea know we would be tackling class V rapids. It was intense! I got thrown from the boat, then got hypothermia, but in the end

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Going Big With The Gentle Giant: Kelly McGarry

     Nothing represents the biggest, baddest most technical freeride mountain biking like the Redbull Rampage. And no one has left an impression from the event like Kelly McGarry. “McGazza”, as he’s known, wowed the crowd in 2013 with his enormous backflip over the iconic 72 foot canyon gap. His run landed him a second place podium spot while he captured the hearts of the viewers to take the People’s Choice Award, as well. With well over 23 million views of the Red Bull video of his incredible run, you could say, McGazza really knows how to go big. Born in 1982, McGarry started out riding motocross and BMX in his hometown of Nelson, NZ before moving into downhill mountain biking when

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5 Bucket List Rides Across the Country

Cycling is a sport that quite literally takes you places. Whether you’re strapping your bike to the car and heading out for a destination-ride, or simply pulling the bike out of the garage and leaving your driveway, most riders know full-well that some roads are simply better than others for two-wheeled touring. Listed here, by RootsRated, is a handful of rides across the country, with no particular rhyme or reason, other than the fact that locals love ’em. 1. 360 Loop | Austin, TX The Capital of Texas Highway is a roughly 14-mile loop highway on the western side of Austin that connects South MOPAC with North MOPAC. It’s a scenic highway in the rolling Texas Hill Country that is wide

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5 Great American Road Trips to Take This Fall

Arguably, there’s no better time to hit the open road than during the fall, when this country’s landscapes and forests are ablaze in their full fiery force, and when the cool autumn air elicits windows-down, wind-blown hair, flannel shirts flapping like sails, warm beverages enjoyed from farm stands, and chilly nights spent at roadside campsites with friends. But, with so many expansive, culturally stimulating, historically appealing regions to explore, which are the best routes to choose? To help, we’ve asked our local experts to identify their favorite  road trips. Here are 5 ideas that will be perfect for any fall weekend: 1. Northeast Portland, ME —> Burlington, VT via the Kancamagus HWY, 196 miles. Jim Penucci After enjoying lobster rolls

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Kelly McGarry Red Bull Rampage GoPro Video

Kelly McGarry took home the Silver Medal at the 2013 Red Bull Rampage.  We checked in with Kelly after Day One last week and this week he released his GoPro footage of his 2nd place run. Yakima Racks helped get Kelly and his bikes to the Red Bull Rampage this year with a HoldUp Plus 2  on the back of his sweet rig.    

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