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August 25, 2009

Rock/Creek Race Team takes prelim Second Place

Rock/Creek Race Team members Matt Sims and Sheridan Ames have been tearing it up on the trail in Colorado as a part of the strenuous GORE-TEX Transrockies Run; a six-day stage race from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek, CO.
Our boys are listed in second place for the preliminary second stage finish in their age group. [Results in PDF Format]

The race started on August 23 and will finish on August 28th. Running teams of two represent numerous states, countries and sponsored athletes who are battling it out for daily stage finishes and the coveted first place bragging rights.

Matt sent our office an email to let us know how the race has been going:

" Sheridan and I are having a great time, the altitude of course is kicking our tails but we are getting stronger every day. After day 1 we finished 6th place but only 4 minutes behind the 3rd place podium...Today [day 2] was awesome! Lots of climbs and we hit a high point today at 12,500. This event is a real production and really worth the time and investment.

Oh, one more thing. We talked to Dean Karnazes about his upcoming trip to Chattanooga for the StumpJump 50k; He's a little scared we're going to make him drink moonshine and do things he doesn't want to do. [EDITOR'S NOTE: We really DON'T just sit around and drink moonshine] I told him to be prepared for a good time.

Our legs are holding up fine, Thanks for all the support!"
Adios- Matt

The video made from the Second Stage race below shows our Rock/Creek Race Team member Matt Sims while stretching within the first few seconds of the videos beginning. (Sims is the guy with the white visor on!)

We hope you pick up the feeds and follow our Rock/Creek Race Team guys as they continue on and hope for a strong finish on the 28th!

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 3:52 PM | Comments (0)

August 24, 2009

Patagonia Men's Bagley Shoe at Rock/Creek

Gentlemen, start your Patagonia Footwear search engines, this post is for you.

The new Patagonia Bagley Men's Shoe is in grand view at Rock/Creek, where you'll find it in stores and online at rockcreek.com NOW!

Weather you are still in back to school mode or looking for something to kick around in the park, Patagonia creates timeless, durable designs sure to bring many comfortable walks to all foot types.

View the new Patagonia Men's Bagley, with earth friendly tanned upper leather, recycled midsole and (20%) recycled outsole.


If you are looking for a sleek design, check out the Men's Patagonia Honeydew. Perfect for slipping on with jeans or dressing up with khakis.

As the gearheads at Patagonia explain, "Kicking it into gear, or just kickin' it; whatever you're doing, it's hard to feel good when your shoes don't fit. That's why the same attention to detail that goes into our legendary gear goes into Patagonia's casual footwear. Our designs are dialed for the down-time, so you can enjoy comfortable, long-wearing support while scheming and dreaming about your next adventure."

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 1:17 PM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2009

Rock/Creek Helps Save (and Maintain) Stringer's Ridge

The Trust for Public Land and the City of Chattanooga has partnered with multiple local businesses such as Rock/Creek and non-profits like the Boonies, to present the first trail maintenance day at Stringer's Ridge on August 29, 2009 from 9:00am- 12:00pm.

This extensive campaign with the Trust for Public Land, is a grassroots movement for the local community to save and preserve land from future development. Now, come be a part of the success and bring your skills to assist; with such a variety of trades and practices represented, it is a true community event you do not want to miss.

Two staging groups will meet and disperse for the day from High Ridge Road or Bell Avenue. Outdoor organizations, scout troops, church youth groups, and other interested volunteers are encouraged to come help. SORBA and The Boonies will provide garbage bags, tools, and special giveaways from local bicycle shops and outdoor businesses. Volunteers should bring water and work gloves. For more information, email Jason Howard - advocacy@sorbachattanooga.org .
For more details or to see who is planning on attending, visit the Stringers Ridge Trail Maintenance Day event page on Facebook. [Login may be required]

Over the past few months, Rock/Creek has promoted fundraising for "Saving Stringer's Ridge" through a donation matching challenge with our customers called "The Rock/Creek Challenge".

If you are unable to make it out the day of the trail clean up, please consider making a donation through any of these links to benefit the non-profit Trust for Public Land.

Already, through generous donations from around the Chattanooga area, TPL is able to conduct this first promoted trail maintenance day.

Thank you for your support. We'll see you out on the trail!

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 5:28 PM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2009

"The Beta - Controller" Climbing Video from Andrew Kornylak

Check out our friend Andrew Kornylak's new video series, "The Beta," a series of bouldering interviews/howtos, each from an area featured in the Triple Crown Bouldering Series in the Southeastern US - the largest outdoor bouldering competition in the world!

The Beta - Controller from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.

In this episode: Paul Fuelling of Boone, North Carolina sprays you down on Controller and They Call Me Nobody, two classic problems at Hound Ears, near Boone - the first leg of the 3Crown Series.

triplecrownbouldering.com - Brought to you by Marmot and Rock/Creek.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:33 PM | Comments (0)

August 14, 2009

Rock/Creek Donates $1,600 After Successful Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race

Locally-owned specialty outdoor retailer Rock/Creek announces a $1,600 donation from last Saturday's 2nd Annual Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race in Chattanooga, TN. The money will go to benefit local non-profit, The Wilderness Trail Running Association, aka, The Boonies. Rock/Creek's donation will be used to fund future races and trail maintenance efforts necessary to sustain open access to trail systems in the surrounding region. "We are committed to supporting The Boonies and other like-minded non-profit organizations and landowners who are working to preserve our region's natural resources for responsible and sustainable recreational use for years to come," says Dawson Wheeler, co-owner of Rock/Creek.

The Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race took place at Outdoor Chattanooga's Greenway Farm in Hixson, TN. Established in 2003 by the city of Chattanooga, Outdoor Chattanooga strives to increase tourism, bring new residents to the community, protect our natural resources, and enhance the health and well-being of citizens and visitors alike. "Our hope is that in partnering with events like the Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race, we can use venues like Greenway Farm to promote outdoor recreation as a signature lifestyle in and around Chattanooga," commented Philip Grymes, Executive Director of Outdoor Chattanooga.

New and experienced runners alike took to the trails in last Saturday's race. Jonathan Mobley, race director for the Rock/Creek Trail Series, estimates that at least half of the runners were racing for the first time on the trail: "We always do a quick straw poll before the race, and this time at least half of the runners raised their hand to identify themselves as first-time trail racers. We're seeing familiar faces from the road running crowd."

The race course led runners on a mixture of open gravel and grassy paths as well as a short section of singletrack named the Boy Scout loop. Although more challenging than some may have expected, this race was a great opportunity for those new to the sport of trail running.

Alan Horton of Knoxville, TN set a new course record with a blinding time of 29:23:00. Close behind in 2nd and 3rd place respectively were John Sillery of Chattanooga, 30:11:00 and Kevin Boucher of Chattanooga, 32:43:00. Amanda Afdahl, new to the Rock/Creek Trail Series this year, led the women's division with a time of 39:42. Amanda, a Resident Director at Covenant College in neighboring Lookout Mountain, GA, shared the podium with 3rd place finisher and fellow employee Debby Vannoy, 42:42:00. Debby is the Covenant College Cross Country Coach. Laurie Cook finished 2nd in the women's division with a time of 42:00.

When asked his thoughts on the race, Steve Hamaker, local Chattanooga resident and race participant, had this to say: "It rocked! The race was well organized. The course had a good balance of singletrack, switchbacks, and wide trails and was especially great for beginners. And Greenway Farm is a great location in Chattanooga for this sort of family-oriented event. I really enjoyed the race and am ready to do it again."

Mobley credits the success of the race to the support of sponsors and tireless efforts of race volunteers: "I am incredibly grateful first and foremost to Outdoor Chattanooga for providing access to Greenway Farm for the race, to Rock/Creek, Marmot, Salomon, SmartWool, END Footwear, Archer Physical Therapy and Greenlife Grocery for their generous support. And like any other race in the series, the Greenway 5 Mile would not be possible were it not for the efforts of our volunteer staff."

The Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race is the 5th of 8 races in the Rock/Creek Trail Race Series. For more information on the race, visit: http://www.rockcreek.com/greenway and for other races go to http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer based in Chattanooga, TN. Rock/Creek was named 2009 Online Retailer of the Year by Backpacker Magazine and SNEWS and was listed as a Top 25 Retailer by Outdoor Business for 2008 and 2009. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, travel and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association. For related articles on Rock/Creek, visit www.rockcreek.com/media/

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)

August 12, 2009

Rock/Creek's Rolling O' Lab event featured on iMultisport

Our friends at iMultisport have begun video coverage for a variety of sports and highlights from community events. They were present at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location when we hosted the Oakley Rolling O' Lab back in June. If you missed the event this year, click on the iMultisport logo below and take a look at the full spectrum of tests and insights the Oakley Rolling O'Lab had to offer.

The Oakley Rep in the beginning of the video is wearing the Oakley Jupiter Sunglasses. The Oakley Jupiter has High Definition Optic lenses as demonstrated in the visual clarity test conducted inside the Rolling O' Lab.

The Oakley Sunglasses used inside the Rolling O' Lab for the (ANSI) Industrial Impact test were the Oakley GasCans. The demonstration included the High Velocity Impact Test with a Quarter Inch ball bearing shot at the Plutonite® lens, 150 ft/second= 102 MPH.

Writer's Pick:
"The Oakley Enduring Edge Sunglasses for Women is currently my most favorite sporty looking pair of Oakley Sunglasses! For men, I have to say the Oakley Half Jacket Sunglasses (REG) are really good looking glasses on a guy" -Rachel

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 5:34 PM | Comments (0)

August 6, 2009

Rock/Creek Race Team Member Finishes GA AT Charity Run

~For those of you who have followed the inspiring story of Rock/Creek's Race Team Member Matt Karzen's run for a cause, you will be pleased to hear he has successfully completed his goal of running along the Georgia Appalachian Trail (about 76 miles). Matt started the adventure on July 25th. Matt is now rested and recovering and put this event report together. He shares his experience with our community in order to inspire others to parallel their activities with their passions to go and do good to make our world better.~ Rock/Creek



"I knew up front this effort to 'one-shot' the 76 miles of the Georgia AT would be at the outer marker of my capacity to endure - that is, after all, sort of the point. But this time the journey to the edge of my possibilities was for a reason way bigger than me. It was beyond the usual motivators, like running just because it's fun, or racing other people. This run was planned and executed to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation - an organization that provides educational grants (and other crucial services) to the children of U.S. Special Forces Operators killed or injured in the line of duty. All told it looks like we will raise about $6,000.00, so in the end, despite the grinding fatigue, the hollow nausea, the numb spots in my left foot, the spiders in my face and the bear attack on my car (for real..), it was, in my book, a big success. Here are the gory and beautiful details:"-MK

Pre- Race Preparation:

The Georgia Appalachian Trail from north to south, consists of 76 rocky single track miles, about 20,000 feet of vertical climbing and descending spread among a stack of steep grades that profiles like the read-out on a heart rate monitor. It is an excellent place to find humility.

Friday, June 24, 2009, 5:30 p.m.: Ben Green and I drove up to Blue Ridge Gap, located on an unforgiving forest road that intersects the A.T. about 3 miles from the North Carolina state line. Ben was there to provide all manner of logistical support AND to run the last 50K with me. A former Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot who worked SAR duty in the Pacific, and an Ironman finisher, the young man is no stranger to suffering or helping others. Up front things got interesting, as I struggled to get my sedan up the rutted dirt road so as to limit our hike into the camp site to 3 miles. Once miraculously parked at the gap, we grabbed up the tent etc., mixed up some powdered nutrition drinks on my trunk and started up the trail. Upon arrival, we chilled out at the base of the gnarled tree that dominates the GA/NC border at Bly Gap, and went lights out about 9:00 p.m. During the night, unbeknownst to us, rats ate our toilet paper and, get this, a bear, apparently thinking the spilled Hammer Perpetuem on my trunk meant there was food inside, tried to eat my car. Claw scratches and tooth puncture marks now bedazzle my rear plastic bumper, and my license plate was folded in half. Did not see that coming.

Morning Beginning:
Saturday, June 25, 5:00 a.m.: I shuffled around the tent, greased up the feet with Vaseline, slid on the SmartWool socks, tightened up the Salamon XT-Wings, guzzled some coffee from the Jet-Boil, and at 6:30 a.m., I stood at the GA/NC line, pressed the button on my stopwatch, and started running.

Miles 1-9: The trail from the state line at Bly Gap to Dick's Creek Gap is super nice, especially when moving south, as it is gently downhill most of the way. I did stop by my car to ponder what wilderness-bound scoundrel might have vandalized the bumper and trunk - I did not realize it was the bear in whose living room I had parked until Ben figured it out later. Other than that, it was a very peaceful run through the early morning woods to Highway 75.

Miles 10-25: This section, through the Tray Mountain wilderness area, is challenging, home to the twin peaks of Tray and Rocky Mountains - steep, sharp topography on the section's west end. The climb out of Dick's Creek on the east end is also sort of a biggy, but it was the first real one of the day, so I rambled up at a clip that was appropriate given the overall goal, but making good time none the less. About mile 17, the trail arcs up, to the top of Tray Mountain. By this time it was getting warm, I was getting tired and I bumped into my first encounter with "the sadness": That's the emotional valley, the low in "highs and lows" that people talk about when they do things like run big long distances. About that time my buddy Jeff, who was waiting to run with me at Unicoi Gap, sent me a text message meant to motivate: "U suck. Hurry up." Had I been on an emotional high, I might have clued in to his actual intent and been inspired to attempt a throttle-up. However, not being happy at that moment, I replied, and I quote: "Bite me. Go Home." Sorry brother - you know I love you. Up and over Tray, fast on the down to Indian Grave Gap, heinous march up Rocky Mountain, and there were my boys at the top: TJ, Jeff, John, Ben, Rob and Georgia State Patrol Trooper Atwood, all ready to run. Sensing the desperation in my cyber-tantrum text message, they had hiked up from Unicoi. We ran down Rocky Mountain at a solid clip, to Unicoi Gap, recklessly ignoring the miles yet to come and having too much fun with that steep, technical Hahanenkam of a descent. Re-supplied at Unicoi, Ben drove on to the next road crossing down range, and off we went - me, Jeff, John, Rob, TJ and Trooper Atwood.

Miles 26-40: After the steep freefall from Rocky into Unicoi Gap, the first thing we did is head straight back up about 1100' in just over 1 rock strewn mile. We topped out, and Johnny set a nice pace at the front. A good section of the trail is an old wagon road that slopes gently down in this direction, so for the next 9 miles or so, we were all smiling and running.

However, it was the first time running on the AT for several of the dudes with me, and during their recruitment I did not really tell them much except to say "it's only 14 miles, pretty mellow terrain, only one real climb". All technically true, but I guess I forgot to mention the sharp rocks that cover much of the trail, and between those, and the big climb, some of the boys were hit with empty water bottles and sore feet about ¾ of the way through. When Rob, another Ironman finisher, went to the front and stepped up the tempo with about 3 or 4 miles to go, dehydration and bruised feet took their toll on the other road-shoe clad, single water bottle guys.

Trooper Atwood went off the back, and Jeff hung with him. John and TJ had road shoes on also, and after a bit slipped back a tad with sore feet, as Rob lead me into Hogpen Gap looking a lot stronger than the previous 40 miles under foot intended. At Hogpen were Ben, and David Crowe and his wife Gay. David is a supremely powerful cyclist, a former pro, founder of Athens' notorious Winter Bike League and a man with a gigantic heart of gold. He and Gay had a cooler full of PB&J, Coke, icy water, dark chocolate and even Heinekens. Ben, ever the first responder, had a ground pad laid out for me and I took a load off for a spell. After a PB&J and a Coke, I re-supplied and stood to move out. When I left, Trooper Atwood was still out there, somewhere, in the woods, no doubt praying he didn't get into a foot chase that night on his shift.

Miles 41-46: This stretch from Hogpen to Neels Gap I ran alone - not real long, but with several stout, short, steep climbs. Around 6:00 p.m. the rhythmic stride of my time chasing Rob into Hogpen disappeared with a bout of ugly nausea, and it was here, around mile 43, that I began to draw on the inspiration of the Special Forces kids: No way was I going to go negative, dwell on my petty nausea and the long slog ahead. I thought of the sacrifice and resilience of those SF soldiers, and their children, and in a bizarre flip, it was they who were helping me - I knew the donations were in, I knew the money would go to the kids whether I dropped out or not, but it was the thought of what they and their parents go through that inspired.

It was then that I truly realized what an honor it was to have the luxury of doing this. Being, in that moment, all about the love of family, I called wife Pam and son Sam, who were waiting at Neels. The sound of a loved ones voice is a miracle-worker, and they urged me on, with giggles, so I stepped it up again and pushed hard into Neels Gap. There were Pam and Sam, along with Ben and others in support. What a welcome site. I munched some pretzels, took a bite of date bar, goofed off with Sam and draped a towel over my head to see if the nausea would pass. After about 30 minutes, it sorta-kinda did, so Ben and I geared up and stepped together across the road to the base of Blood Mountain: 30 miles to go, and it was definitely about to get dark in those woods.

Miles 47-56: The prospect of marching straight up 1250' from Neels Gap to the top of Blood was so daunting that I think the utter helplessness of it actually made it easier: I recently discovered the phrase "Embrace the Suck" - one of my new favorites. Once I let go of the dread, it was actually a pleasant, although difficult, climb. It's quite steep, with big 18" step-ups to add to the fun. Ben and I plodded up, and somewhere along the way, the sky filled with ink. It was pitch black, with a sharp crescent moon peaking through the forest canopy, and when we hit the top of Blood, the view literally stopped us in our tracks.

Looking south, the lights of the small hamlets of north Georgia twinkled in the broad basins (valleys?) below, and the sky was awash in stars. Here we were, just north of Cleveland, Georgia, and my mouth was hanging open. It was awesome - period. There was, however, much work to be done, so after a brief audience with some of the best Mother Nature has to offer, we tipped over the summit and moved down the trail. This is where things got tricky, on so many levels.

First, it was about here that my quads sent me the bill for the fast descents earlier in the day. Each step off any ledge or on any steep down-slope activated a gland in my legs I didn't even know I had which apparently produces pure ground glass. Plus, even with a quality 4-bulb LED headlamp, the A.T. is sketchy in the dark - sharp granite edges pop out of the trail like weeds, so any misstep could be, well, painful at best. I guess what I am trying to say is, I slowed way down.

We also got totally freaked out by the sounds of an invisible, but very large and lumbering, mammal thumping off the trail nearby, and we either saw or imagined a C-130 military aircraft rip-skimming the ridgeline on night maneuvers. Ben tells me he used to practice night flying in his Blackhawk in this area, so I guess it was real... After a while we managed to fumble our way to Woody Gap. Waiting for us there was Kirk Smith, another local animal, multiple Ironman finisher, Boston 26.2 dude and a guy who voluntarily rides a bike with Crowe. Kirk had gone on a 65 mile "single-file Saturday" bike ride that morning with David, then at 9:00 p.m., jumped in his car and drove up from Athens to do the last 20 miles with us. The man is the man. We shuffled into his company at Woody Gap about 1:45 a.m. or so, re-loaded, and now we were three for the final push.

Miles 57-76: A couple years ago, when my brother paced me at Leadville, he said afterward that "running at night has a quality all its own. If things are going to get weird, that's where it is going to happen." Confirmed. Again. Kirk was a great source of stability - as he put it, he was the "the only sober guy at the party". His grounding presence notwithstanding, I could swear I dreamt the 3 hours from 2:00 a.m. until 5:00 a.m. I sort of floated between a deep, hollow void, and a giddy delusional euphoria. The down moments involved a stomach so empty it echoed, coupled with a gag reflex intolerant of more than ½ a gel at a time, plus the whole glass-in-the-quads thing.

The up moments were like having beer goggles on and looking in the mirror: I thought I was doing great, cruising along, and I was for sure having fun, but I was actually the same old worn out dude not moving very fast. The funky, head-tilting moments are too numerous to recall, but I do remember the following: The eyes of tiny spiders sitting on the low grass and leaves, reflecting like mirrors in my headlamp; some bigger spiders and their webs wrapping around my face as I passed through; a HUGE spider sitting high in his web, that looked like a freaking crab (can you tell I have a spider thing?); the dew on the underside of the leaves, reflecting a hue in the glow of our headlamps that made them look like they were covered in white fur or snow; the periodic bear rambling sounds and getting to the point where that hardly warranted a glance; eating one of Kirk's PB&J's while sitting in the dark, in the dirt, in the woods; disclosing more details than one ever should about the location of more problematic chafes; the first light of the morning sky. Beyond that, all I can tell you is that running (or hiking) through the woods all night is something that everyone should do at least once - I guarantee you will not regret it.

Once daylight broke, fatigue, specifically sleep deprivation, became overwhelming. The effort itself takes its toll, but once you get near 22 hours without sleep, that, at least for me, becomes the elephant on the back. The trail seemed to constantly break straight up for a short brutal 10-15 minute climb, then drop straight down in a stabbing, wincing descent, again and again and again. At one point, Ben was seeing foxholes covered in camo-netting and non-existent bridges over ravines. When the wind kicked up through a big canyon between the ridge we were on and the one to our left, I swear I heard a tailgate party: For about 10 minutes, it sounded like we were trumbling through the parking lot at UGA's Sanford Stadium about an hour before kickoff, complete with the sounds of the Red Coat Band warming up someplace in the distance.

Auditory and visual hallucinations by our side, we pressed on. The paucity of mile markers, coupled with my earlier delusion as to our pace between 2 and 5 in the morning, left me scratching my head (and really wanting to whine) after a while as to why we were not done yet. When we hit the sign that said, to my eyes, "Matt, you still have 4.2 miles to go, and its uphill, so step up brother", I had another moment of what I think may be a powerful new zone for me, if it continues to make itself available: Embrace the Suck. I experienced an involuntary resignation to my inevitable reality, true acceptance, and it was suddenly not nearly so troublesome. I think that if we just let go of it - if we, as Christopher McDougall said recently, "demand nothing from our endurance", it will thrive, it will provide and it will get us where we need to be. So, in the end, at the end, the last 4.2 miles I actually felt pretty good.

Springer Mountain: David and Gay Crowe, and dog Gibby, met us at the finish. I don't even want to know how long they may have waited. They, and Kirk, shuttled Ben and I in all of our stinky funk, back to my Yogi Bear-chew-toy car at Neels Gap. I changed clothes, ate some jerky, drank a sprite, and stapled my eyelids open to drive home because all I wanted was to see my wife and son.

Conclusion:

So, the whole thing, as things like this are meant to be, was a grand adventure. I remain convinced that probing the boundaries of suffering and sacrifice in this manner is good for everyone, wherever those boundaries might be, and I know it is good for me. But traversing terrain in this way, on a beautiful summer weekend in the mountains a couple hours from my house, with my friends, is, in the end, a tremendous luxury.

The U.S. Special Forces push their boundaries on a level that I can only pretend to comprehend, leaving their families for months on end, ducking bullets and pursuing antagonists that specifically intend only one brutal fate for them. Indulging in my luxury run this past weekend, while challenging, vivid and beautiful, was primarily to honor all of them in the best way I knew how. They 'do' for the rest of us, without hesitation, at the ultimate cost and under the most grueling and dangerous of circumstances. They are my heroes, their children are my heroes, and I hope they will be blessed with strength and peace.
Matt Karzen, 7/29/09

Donate to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation through First Giving

Donate Directly to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation through their website

Inspired to test your skills and endurance on a trail? Register for the upcoming Rock/Creek Trail Series, the StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race October 3, 2009 in Chattanooga, TN.

Weekend events feature special guest Ultramarathon Man, Dean Karnazes, for Friday 10/2 and Saturday 10/3 night speaking opportunities and VIP Reception Saturday 10/3. As well as a huge Vendor Fair hosted at Rock/Creek Two North Shore store location on Friday.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)

August 5, 2009

Rock/Creek Suggests Washing Chacos Once Every Two Weeks

So you are the proud owner of Chacos and you take them everywhere, you wear them everywhere, and you would die without them in your life... but now.... they stink! It's okay. You do not have a nasty foot funk. The "not so pleasant aroma" wafting from your feet to your nostrils is a commonly accepted factor that comes with owning Chacos. But it's not something you have to live with!

Here's a little science and anatomy lesson for you to explain what's going on (I was once a nursing major)- Our skin (epithelial tissue), is a protective barrier from the elements. Like everything else in this world, there is a life span for our skin cells. Our feet are a tougher thicker layering of skin called Stratified Squamous Epithelium (Layered- Flat/Scale like-tissue). This type of tissue has a high "turn over rate" on locations of high wear and tear and abrasion. New layers are created internally and scale off from the top as they die.

If you plug your nose and look into the foot bed grooves of your Chacos, you will notice a build up of these dead cells. Please don't be grossed out, it is a fact of life. The smell resonating from the sandals is simply the cells being decomposed by bacteria. All YOU have to do, is simply wash that out.

Here at Rock/Creek, we'd like to offer several possible remedies, but we are not chemists nor rocket scientists; we just know what works and what doesn't. We also believe in helping you maintain your investment and keep your Chacos going for years. Our suggestions are low impact, safe methods and will not delaminate the rubber, nor cause the webbing to crack or fade. Essentially, there are two good options for washing your non-leather Chaco Sandals. We'll get to Leather later.

Options and Steps for How to Wash Non-Leather Chaco Sandals:

Option 1: Machine Wash-

1--Chacos are machine washable- More specifically, they're washable in an ordinary clothes washing machine!
NOT the dishwasher which is commonly done and can result in delamination (where the sole peels off the footbed - not a good thing!). Simply place your Chacos in the washing machine with bulky materials such as towels or sheets and let'er rip!.

2--We suggest a mild detergent (no bleach). More companies offer Environmental friendly and mild detergents.

3--Prior to wash, expose the portion of the strap that is typically underneath the midsole. This part of the sandal holds much of the stink. This a referred to as "flossing" the webbing to expose and loosen the grit from the channels. You can do this by gripping the webbing and pulling. HARD! It takes some effort, but you'll see the inside webbing come to the outside. You couldn't put a foot in there, but it's perfect for cleaning your Chacos.

4--After the Washing Machine cycle, place the damp sandals outside to air dry. Keep the sandals out of direct sunlight while drying. This prevents webbing fade and stiffness.

5--Your amazingly clean sandals should be ready to wear within an hour.

Option 2: Bucket Soaking:

1--Mix Baking Soda with enough water to make a paste. Spread the paste out on the footbed and let stand for a few minutes. If you prefer using a trusted cleaner instead of baking soda, Rock/Creek offers NikWax brand Sandal Wash, available at all store locations.

2--Stick the sandals in a bucket of water and let sit for a few hours.

3--Scrub off the remaining baking soda and rinse a few times.
*note: You may notice a little white residue from the webbing as it dries. This is okay, you just may need to re-rinse the webbing out a few times. Baking soda acts as an odor eliminator, however, it does not kill bacteria. You may want to try a mixture of plain vinegar diluted with water on the footbed to kill the bacteria.

4--Place Chacos outside to dry, away from direct sunlight.

*Special Note: In the peak of the humid summer season, washing your Chacos once every two weeks is considered a good idea for the sake of the company around you. It is not possible to over-wash Chacos, as long as the treatment solutions are mild. You'll only increase the durability of the sandal by removing debris that can be abrasive on the straps.

Not an option (Some methods we DO NOT suggest):

Making a blend of bleach and water, and letting the sandals soak in the toxic concoction. This is bad for the planet and for you!
Remember, NO dishwasher washing!

Options and Steps for How to Wash Leather Chaco Sandals:

Leather Chaco sandals require more attention then non-leather Chacos.
Leather is a material provided to us by nature (with a few processes in between but I won't go there...) You want to treat this material with gentle solutions because it is natural.

1--We suggest a damp cloth with little-to-none solution initially to wipe off residue or excess water on the leather sandal.

2--Leather Conditioners are most favorable for prolonging the life of your Leather Chaco Sandals. We suggest a high-quality leather conditioner called "NikWax Leather Conditioner". Pretty straightforward, right? This conditioner will add water repellent qualities to your sandals, and help soften areas that may have already been affected by age and cracking. You may notice your sandals will darken during/after you apply this conditioner because it is so rich with moisturizers. Please be careful not to over-saturate the leather because it will need to breathe and dry.

3--Dry the sandals in an open air location however, keep them OUT of sunlight or heat! The heat will make the leather brittle and cause cracks.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 8:58 AM | Comments (0)

August 3, 2009

Rock/Creek Greenway 5 Mile- Last Call for Registration!

Have you signed up for the Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race yet?

You know you have been contemplating it every week, every day, every hour, for the past month... but you just have not listened to your curiosity yet...?

Well let Rock/Creek assures you, this will be a memorable event! With more than 100 participants already signed up this year, there's still plenty of room for YOU! The increasing numbers will offer great competition within the beautiful venue at Greenway Farms. This race is very low impact and tame compared to the rest of the Rock/Creek Trail Series, so do not hesitate to sign up for this self rewarding event.

Here are the details once again:

Time & Location:
-Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race is held at Greenway Farm on August 8, 2009 at 9:00am EST. The Race is apart of the Rock/Creek Trail Series benefitting The Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies). Sponsored by Rock/Creek, Marmot, Salomon, SmartWool and END Footwear.

Cost:
-The cost for registration is just $10.
(This will not include the techinical tee-shirt/ logoed tee anymore, because the deadline for that has already passed.)

Registration Options:
-Day of race registration will be available starting at 8am at Greenway Farms (no shirt will be included)

-ONLINE REGISTRATION will close Friday, August 7th at 12 Noon.

Packet Pickup:
-Packet Pick up is on Friday, August 7th (4-7pm) at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore store location. (no shirt will be available to those registering during Packet Pickup)

To REGISTER for the Greenway 5 Miler go HERE >

Click for Directions from Rock/Creek Two North Shore to Greenway Farms >

Go To the Greenway Race Page >

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 2:15 PM | Comments (0)