The Barr Camp was built in the early 1920's by the builder and designer of the Barr Trail, Fred Barr. This trail starts about a 1/2 mile from my house here in Manitou Springs and winds 12.6 miles up 7500 feet to the summit of Pikes Peak.
At 10,200 feet is the Barr Camp where hikers can rest, refill their water, and possibly camp for the night. Reservations are recommended for the cabin or lean-to's, but tent space is usually available...of course then you have to lug your tent, too.
I'm sure I'll summit at least once this coming year (maybe more if I'm lucky) - so a further report will come then.
Online Extra: Bill Stone @ National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic online extra about Bill Stone and his expedition to Cheve Cave (Sierra de Juárez, Mexico) and how they are aiming to break a record and become the world's deepest cave.
Fly By Wire - "The world's fastest ride!"
I've got to get my butt down to New Zealand....not only to bungee jump (again), but to ride "Fly By Wire".
Imagine this: Large cable suspended across a huge canyon. Attached to the middle of the cable is another one, hanging down with a 13 foot rocket sled on the end. You (said victim) lies on the sled and powers up it's engine to fly around the canyon at 100mph and up to 3 Gs. You're in control of the sled as you whiz around the canyon doing arcs and dives.....Awesome!
Check out the videos and the great media review.
On this 50th Anniversary of summiting Mt. Everest, take a quick peak at a 360 degree panoramic view from the top of the world.....
Fla. Sinkhole Kills 2 Horses
SANFORD, Fla. (AP)--A 50-foot-wide, 30-foot-deep sinkhole destroyed a barn, killing two horses despite rescuers' desperate efforts to save the second one Friday.
Bob Bonwit had returned home from his nursing job Thursday night and was walking to his barn to feed carrots to his horses when he discovered the sinkhole had engulfed the barn. "I nearly stepped into it,'' Bonwit said. "The whole world was wrong.''
The horses were at the bottom of the pit, which was filling rapidly with groundwater. By the time Seminole County sheriff's officials and other fire-rescue personnel had arrived, the older horse, Jack, 17, had drowned.
The other horse, 13-year-old Magic, was perched atop the dead horse, barely keeping its nose above water.
Rescue workers were able to place a harness around Magic's body early Friday morning and tried to lift him out of the hole, but his back legs were stuck in the mud. He eventually died.
Bonwit's house is close to the sinkhole, but authorities could not say if that structure was in danger.
Sanford is 19 miles north of Orlando.
Sinkholes occur when sand beneath the surface begins to erode and falls into underlying limestone cavities, causing the surface to collapse. Several factors may contribute to the collapse, including drought, excessive water pumping, traffic, construction or heavy rain.
The geology of Florida makes it especially vulnerable to sinkholes, although they also are found in Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
...i tried REALLY REALLY hard not to find this funny. i didn't succeed.