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June 28, 2007
Triple Crooown!
Okay guys and gals, it's time to register for the 2007 Triple Crown Bouldering Series. Chad Wykle, Jim Horton, and their crew have launched a great new design for the Web site and have officially opened registration. Be sure to click on the video from Andrew Kornylak.
It chronicles last year's Stone Fort comp from the slide show the night before through sunrise and of course lots of climbing on the day of the comp. Andrew took thousands of still photos and stitched them together into what looks like a stop-motion animation video except everyone's real instead of clay. Sweet. Here are the comp details from the site:COMP DETAILS
The Triple Crown
The Triple Crown consists of 3 events scheduled 1 month apart. Hound Ears (Boone, North Carolina), Horse Pens 40 (Steele, Alabama), and The Stone Fort, formerly known as Little Rock City (Chattanooga, Tennessee).
Winners
Winners are determined by highest scores. Each problem has a point value. You can do as many as you want, but your score is determined by adding the total of your 10 highest valued problems. In the event of a tie, the next highest problem will be added, and the person with the highest average will win.
Competition Prizes
Prizes will be awarded for each individual event. These will go to the top finishers of each category. Grand prizes will be awarded at the final event to competitors with the highest cumulative score from all three events. Door prizes will be awarded at each event. These will be given out in a number of unique ways. Grand door prizes will be awarded to competitors who compete in all 3 events. These will be awarded in a number of ways.
Rain DatesRain dates are always the day after the scheduled event date. If the rock is still wet, the event will be rescheduled for a later date and competitors will be informed by both the Triple Crown web site and by email.
Special Events
Special events will take place the night before each event.
Spectators
Due to transportation and overcrowding concerns, all spectators, parents and guardians must register and pay the same as a competitor at the The Stone Fort and Hound Ears events.
Related stuff on RockCreek.com:
Rock Creek and Chaco Help Raise $8000 for Boat Rock >
Interview with the Founders of the Triple Crown >
Earth Day Every Day; A discussion with Kurt Smith on Access and Responsibility >
2006 Hound Ears Report >
Bouldering Gear Guide >
Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:15 PM
June 22, 2007
Free Gift w/ Chaco Purchase: CamelBak Better Bottle
If you've been waiting to pick up a new pair of Chacos for the Summer, now's the time. While supplies last, come buy any Chaco sandals and get a Free CamelBak Better Bottle with your order. Just choose the sandals you want, and watch out for a notification in the shopping cart. When you click the notice, you can choose your bottle color.
If you haven't seen the Better Bottle yet, it's a step up from other water bottles on the market. Here's what we say on the site:
The Better Bottle allows you to stay hydrated anytime, anywhere, with the latest technology from CamelBak. The innovative NEW spill-proof Better Bottle holds .5L of water and comes in 4 stylish colors. Designed with a base that tapers off and can fit in most any cup holder. Easy to carry, easy to use, and easy to clean. CamelBak has bottled the perfect hydration solution.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:23 PM
June 21, 2007
SORBA Singletracks Expo
Rock Creek has recently signed on as a sponsor of SORBA Chattanooga. With all the trail building these guys have accomplished in the last few years, we couldn't stand by and not help out. The new trails up at Raccoon Mountain will serve as our Stage II race course [PDF map] for the Boonies Mountain Stage Race this weekend.
If you're free this weekend and in Chattanooga, be sure to stop by the SORBA Singletracks Gear Expo on Sunday, June 24th, from Noon to 4PM at the Chattanooga Market. (You can click on the image to the left for a larger version of the poster). Lots of vendors and nonprofits will be there talking about gear and laying plans for upcoming events, and of course signing up new members.
We'll be there with the Rock Creek tent, and we'll also be representing our new trail running club, the Boonies. Look for Jim Farmer or myself at the TrailBlazers tent for more information on becoming a member.
All the money raised will go directly to trail work, and let me tell you these guys aren't kidding around. They've made Chattanooga one of the best singletrack destinations around, and in a very short time period. Check out this Bike magazine article or the recent Times-Free Press article if you don't believe me.
Need a rack for that bike? Check out our Yakima configurator at RockCreek.com and get 10% Off all Yakima stuff.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 6:06 PM
June 14, 2007
Chaco Offsets Early Show Travel with Wind Credits
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance members are currently attending the "Early Show," a sort of mini-trade show where Grassroots members and their vendor partners have a few days in Snow Bird for line shows and other business before the madhouse of OR in August. Grassroots just announced that Chaco has offset all members' travel to and from the show through Native Energy.
I was impressed that the release recognized that offsets are "not a total sustainability solution for the Early Show event," but rather part of a larger sustainability program for the show. Specifically, the money Chaco donated will go to an interesting program where Midwestern farmers are given the opportunity to purchase, with the help of capital from Native Energy, wind turbines that provide for their energy needs without relying on fossil fuels. The press release has a few more details:
Chaco and the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance chose to buy offsets from Native Energy for a number of reasons. First, Native Energy is known for its transparency, and the entire offset purchase amount will go toward a Native Energy project called “Farmer-owned Distributed Wind Turbines.” This project was chosen because it benefits independent farmers who have been working family-owned, heritage farmlands for multiple generations. Native Energy was also selected because of the depth of resources it offers to businesses of all sizes. The Grassroots Outdoor Alliance and Chaco are actively encouraging the membership to incorporate other sustainability services from Native Energy into their retail businesses as well as communities and events, as the organization takes collective steps toward educating its membership about sustainable business practices. The Early Show will include an educational overview on Native Energy for its membership to facilitate this connection.
Turns out, even the location (Snow Bird resort in Utah) has an environmental slant, and recently won sustainability awards from both the EPA and a ski industry group. Check out the Grassroots Blog for full details.
Rock Creek is a proud member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, and we're encouraged to see the group take a leadership role in the ongoing improvement of our industry. Check out our environmental statement for more on what we're doing to reduce the harm we cause.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:51 PM
June 11, 2007
Rolling O Lab Coming to RockCreek
I just found out that Oakley plans to bring their "Rolling O Lab" to our Hamilton Crossings store location on June 15th. It looks pretty cool, so if you have a chance be sure to stop by and check out some of Oakley's high-tech sunglasses. We'll have a drawing where you can sign up to win one of two pair of sunglasses that we're giving away. They'll be here 10-4, with lunch at noon. We'll also have some special Father's Day gift ideas and discounts available.
You can check out my favorites, the Oakley Fives 3.0 or the always-popular Oakley Half Jacket.
Here's what Oakley has to say about it:
Oakley Deploys Rolling O Lab to Bring High Definition Optics to the Masses
Foothill Ranch, CA January 30th, 2007
Mobile Facility Educates Public about Companys Optics Superiority
Oakley, Inc. (NYSE: OO) today announced the deployment of the Rolling O Lab, a mobile demonstration unit that will travel the nation to educate consumers about the companys superior High Definition Optics(®) (HDO(®)) technology. Built as a 40-foot motor coach, the fully self-contained facility will offer live demonstrations of the companys optical performance and protection at retail locations, sport venues and other select public events.
“Consumers need to open their eyes to the fact that not all sunglasses are created equal, said Colin Baden, president of Oakley, Inc. We developed the Rolling O Lab to educate people about the truth of todays eyewear and to show firsthand how Oakleys HDO(®) sunglasses provide the best optical clarity, impact resistance and UV protection in the industry. By taking our science to the street, we can reach out to those who might not have an opportunity to learn about the quality and performance of our eyewear.”
“In educating the public, the Rolling O Lab will also serve as a mobile marketing unit that entertains and enlightens, maintaining a positive and powerful brand presence. It presents a high-quality image of the company by utilizing a comprehensive and meticulously crafted audio/visual package,” continued Baden . “Scheduled to be on the road more than 300 days a year, it offers a brand emersion experience that tells the Oakley story, one of technical innovation, inspiration and optical superiority.”
Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:07 PM
June 8, 2007
The North Face on Sale! 20-30% Off Until June 17th
Looking for the perfect gift for Father's Day or Graduation? Do you have something you've been waiting to get for yourself from The North Face? Maybe a Base Camp Duffel, or the popular Heckler Day Pack, maybe a pair of swim trunks for camp this summer? Well, now's the time! We're running a great sale on everything from The North Face, and as you know, these sales don't come around often. Stop by RockCreek.com today for 20-30% Off everything from The North Face. Sale ends June 17th, so stop by today.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:07 PM
Bike to Riverbend
As I've mentioned before on my bike to work day post, one of the easiest ways keep a few pounds of nasty greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere is to replace a few miles of your everyday car travel with a few miles of cycling (or, walking). So I was thrilled to learn that the Riverbend Festival will offer free bike valet service (again) this year. Riverbend is a huge outdoor music festival taking place on the Chattanooga waterfront, and it is also, therefore, a huge outdoor parking festival. It's nice to see these kind of efforts to promote cycling in the city.
Here's the beta (thanks Ruthie from Outdoor Chattanooga):
Bike to Riverbend June 8 – 16
Ride your bicycle to Riverbend and leave it with our safe and secure free valet service at the south end of the Walnut Street Bridge. Enjoy the music and fun without the traffic hassles. Valet service will be available from 5:00 p.m. to Midnight every night except Monday, June 11. Free automobile parking will be available in the Amnicola Marsh parking lot along the Tennessee Riverwalk. For more information, visit www.riverbendfestival.com.
So, make for one less car and take your bike this year. Or, if you're coming from outside of the city, call me and you can park at my house for free and walk with us.
Flickr photo courtesy hugovk.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:14 AM
June 7, 2007
Going to Kona: Rock Creek's Sheridan Ames
Rock Creek Race Team member Sheridan Ames, who's currently training for Ironman Kona, showed up in a video on the Times-Free Press this week. There's also a full article on his triathlon training.
Baby boomer Sheridan Ames has qualified for the Ford Ironman World Championship on Oct. 13 in Kona, Hawaii. In the video, the 46-year-old Signal Mountain resident shows how he prepares for the event and shares his thoughts on what the competition is like for someone his age.
Read more about the Rock Creek Race Team on our site.
See our other Press mentions on the Rock Creek PR Clippings page.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:58 PM
