Yesterday afternoon Teko Ambassadors Gregg Treinish and Deia Schlosberg begun their Connecting The Gems Expedition, leaving from their home in Bozeman Mt. They will be sending updates from the trail regularly which will be posted on their website as well as right here on the Teko Blog. Good luck guys!

First Update –  7/7/10 from Deia

“So, this afternoon we take off for the trail.  It’s been hard to pull ourselves away from our wonderful friends in Bozeman, but we keep having to remind ourselves that it’s only six weeks this time.  The last time we were preparing for a big hike, we were guessing a year but really leaving for two.  I keep flashing back to those feelings and getting overwhelmed, but when I remember that this one is different, I find myself getting excited about it–excited to be doing a project wherein the walking has a specific purpose beyond my own learning and experience.  I’m hopeful that by doing this we can provide data that will lead to a much more complete picture of animal movement patterns and problems between Yellowstone and the Frank Church, and hopefully some solutions will emerge out of that. 

We’ve spent the last five days finalizing logistics, packing, putting together resupply boxes and making sure our ducks are lined up.  The idea of having people come meet us on our route with resupplies is amazing–the whole project will be streamlined, and we’ll be able to focus on the hike and the film much more.  I’m fairly floored that so many people have volunteered their time to help us with the project–the support has been incredible and we are totally thankful. 

The route itself should be gorgeous.  We’re really excited to get to know our own part of the country in way more depth.  Even after hiking just the whole Bridger ridge last summer, I feel much more connected to those mountains every time I look at them or spend time in them.  Like I know them more and have an understanding of them–the animals that reside there, the geologic history and the water that trickles down from their snow melt each spring.  So to have a similar KNOWING of the entire transect across the whole Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and into the Frank Church is a very special prospect.  I’m hopeful that our documentation will do it justice and remind people that these areas are worthy of our awareness and that extra step toward understanding.  After all, we cannot appreciate that which we cannot understand. ”

The commuter bike of the week has become an informal Friday tradition in the world of Teko social media. It is a fun way to promote alternative transportation and get people excited about riding their bikes for transportation and for fun. 

 Up until now it has just been pretty pictures. Its time to up the ante a bit!Send us a picture of your commuter bike along with a short paragraph. Tell us about your bike, your commute, that time you got caught in a nasty hail storm on your ride home. Really anything having to do with your bike, your commute and why you ride.

The most entertaining and creative submissions will appear on the Teko Blog and the writer will get a FREE PAIR OF SOCKS to sport on their next commute!  Let’s see some bikes!  Send submissions to info@tekosocks.com and don’t forget to include your shoe size and shipping address. While you’re at it head on over to our Facebook page and sign up for the Teko Newsletter. We’ll keep you up to date with what is going on in the Teko sphere.

Now to lead by example, this week’s commuter bike comes from Teko’s marketing guy Ian McWilliams:

THE MONOCOG

“It’s not light, pretty or expensive but it always keeps rolling along. I ask this old Redline to do a lot; Winter snow commuting, summer racing and after work singletrack missions, even some road riding here and there. This is not the only bike in the stable but certainly the one that gets the most use. The frame has now done its job without complaint for over 10,000 miles!  More often than not I start my day from the saddle of this ride rolling along the bike paths of Boulder to Teko Headquarters.  Bikes come and go but this one will be around a while!”     

With summer drifting into the Adirondacks Teko’s Lake Placid, New York based Ambassador Haley Johnson is hard at work training for the 2010/11 Biathlon race season. Even with the demanding training schedule of an Olympic athlete Haley manages to be very active in her community. 

She is a strong voice in fighting the rise in childhood obesity in the US and believes that respect for one’s health and environment are intertwined. We are on the same page here at Teko and respect Haley’s commitment to her sport, community and larger environment.  

Haley recently had the opportunity to give the graduation commencement speech at her former high school.  She has a transcript of  the address posted on her blog. Inspiring words. Read the full speech here.

With so many great environmental non-profits around the country and world it is exciting to run across an organization running some very impressive programs out of our own region. Trees, Water & People call Fort Collins Colorado home, just to the north of us here at TEKO. Founded in 1998 TWP has a strong focus on conservation. Their work is centered around helping communities world wide care for the natural resources on which their sustainability depends.

Who They Are:

“Trees, Water & People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 1998 by Stuart Conway and Richard Fox, and is staffed by a group of dedicated conservationists who feel strongly about helping communities to protect, conserve, and manage the natural resources upon which their long-term well-being depends. Our work is guided by two core beliefs:

TWP develops and manages continuing reforestation, watershed protection, renewable energy, appropriate technology, and environmental education programs in Latin America and the American West. TWP’s international programs have been recognized nationally and internationally, receiving the Ashden Award for Renewable Energy, as well as awards from Kodak, The Conservation Fund, and etown, the nationally syndicated environmental radio show. TWP’s programs have been featured on National Geographic Television, National Public Radio, and in the Christian Science Monitor.”

How You Can Help:

• Donate to TWP - Private donations help to fund the organization.
• Check out their sustainable gift store. The store offers a variety of items made by artisans from their program areas around the world.  A purchase from this store not only helps TWP but also these local artists.
• Take an Eco Tour - TWP offers supporters a chance to travel to Central America to participate in their stove building and reforestation programs.
• Plant Trees- TWP has two programs in which interested parties can participate in order to help offset  the huge amount of trees lost each year.
• Follow TWP on Facebook and Twitter

There are many other ways to get involved with Trees, Water & People. Check out their website which is full of pertinent information. With  natural resource conservation and sustainable management at the fore front of our world, now more than ever, it is important to support organizations like TWP who are leading the charge in addressing these issues.  All of us here at TEKO thank you for the work you do.

Teko Ambassadors Deia Schlosberg and Gregg Treinish are gearing up for the departure of their Connecting the Gems expedition. Later this summer they will embark on a two month, 450 mile hike through the Northern Rockies.

This region contains two very important and relatively intact wildlife zones, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. The purpose of the expedition is to raise awareness and garner public support for the protection and restoration of these vital habitats and the corridors that link them.

Greg and Deia have a great list of sponsors for the Expedition and all of us here at Teko are honored to be a part of it. We will be providing them with the socks that will keep their feet comfortable and blister free for the duration.  To learn more about Connecting the Gems read the official expedition press release (below) and visit Connectingthegems.org .  Durring the expedition keep an eye out for updates here on the Teko Blog, Facebook page and Twitter feed. Good luck guys!    

Deia Schlosberg and Gregg Treinish Announce Expedition to Explore Critical Wildlife Linkage Zone. 

“Connecting the Gems,” an ecological expedition by explorer/filmmakers Deia Schlosberg and Gregg Treinish was announced today.  Schlosberg and Treinish—named 2008 National Geographic Adventurers of the Year for “Across the Andes,” the first recorded trek of the 7800-mile spine of the Andes—will collect data and document the ecological connectivity between two largely intact wildlife regions:  the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in Montana and Wyoming, and the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho.

“This is the last region in the lower 48 where long range dispersal and migration routes for animals is possible,” said Treinish. “Their ability to move is key to a stronger, healthier genetic pool.  So here, if we can connect the gems, we can give grizzlies, wolves, wolverines, and other carnivores the best chance for long term survival.”

Deia, who is 30, and Treinish, age 28, are uniquely qualified to mount the Connecting the Gems expedition. Treinish is a wildlife biologist who recently completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Evolution from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.   Schlosberg is mid-way through earning a master’s degree in Science and Natural History Filmmaking.  The Bozeman residents are experienced adventurers and explorers, as their endeavors in the Andes showed.

“The scientific community believes that if populations can dependably migrate between and throughout these vast areas, they will thrive.” Treinish says.  “We need to find out what the specific barriers are that prevent movement, and which existing migratory routes are at risk of becoming cut off, causing isolation. Walking the route, which is really rugged, lets us view it through the eyes of wildlife and observe and document what they face.”  

Treinish’s and Schlosberg’s journey has already begun, in a sense. The first phase—to research the microcosms of the area—has been underway for several months.   Relying on existing information from land managers, ranchers, scientists and government agencies they have compiled a picture of their likely route across Yellowstone National Park, through Wyoming, Montana, and into Idaho. Their research—which pinpoints barriers to wildlife movement such as bottlenecks, detours, conflict zones, development, and roads, as well as known migration corridors—will continue until their departure. 

Once underway, Treinish and Schlosberg will gather demographic data about the animals inhabiting and migrating along the route of travel.  Fur and scat samples will be collected for DNA analysis that can link existing and future data about individual animals and groups of animals.  Observations of footprints, claw marks, and scat will confirm the presence of animals.  Remote-triggered camera traps may be used to catch imagery and identify individual animals.  All data gathered will be tied to GPS locations.  

Ultimately, Gregg and Deia hope this expedition will be instrumental in maintaining the ability of wildlife to move throughout the region. 

For more information visit www.connectingthegems.org,  Gregg Treinish Treinish@gmail.com

Follow on Facebook: Connecting the Gems  Twitter: Connect Gems

At Teko we are very fortunate to have a dedicated crew of ambassadors. This group of athletes and adventurers tirelessly put our socks through their paces in their respective human powered sports. One such ambassador is ultra runner Matt Hart. Matt recently set the speed record for a running traverse across Zion National Park in our tekoMERIONO Light MINICREW . 48 miles in 7 hours and 58 minutes! Matt shattered the previous record for this route by 1 hour and 10 minutes! Below is his blow by blow of this adventure  from his blog Tales of Endurance. 

New Zion Traverse Speed Record 7 hours 58 minutes. 

 “The Trans-Zion Trek (sometimes also called the “Zion Traverse”) is a 48-mile route across Zion National Park in Southwestern Utah. It runs from Lee Pass in the Kolob Canyons section of the park, to the East Entrance Trailhead, though stunning and diverse high desert landscape. The route is typically done as a 5-day backpacking trip.”fastest known times page:  in may of 2008 i visited my buddy karl meltzer in salt lake city.  he had just returned from running across the entire zion national park with jared campbell.  they had revived this incredible route and had taken some sweet video.  karl was pretty excited about the run (blog report on it w/video).  i had never been to zion, but the seed was planted.  

a brief history:

bo beck probably set the first standard of 14hrs 25mins.  jared and karl’s revival and video shoot set the new record at 10h27min.  famous backpacker andrew skurka then took that down to 9h27mins before jared and buddy christian johnson took 18mins off skurka’s time nov 27, 2009 running 9h 08mins (blog report).  

jared showed me the east entrance to cable mtn in january (blog w/videos).  last week while snow storms hit salt lake i retreated to zion to scout the route a bit more.  i had a blast and was blown away.  but with pocatello 50 miler coming up i had a very small window to try and run it as fast as i could.  i think this route is stunningly beautiful.  in my opinion it’s an ever better adventure run than the venerable double crossing of the grand canyon. 

the report:
 my lovely assistant linda barton flew into slc late wednesday night.  i can’t thank her enough for all the help.  wouldn’t have run that fast without her.  we left slc at 2pm and had just enough time for me to show linda the finish line at lee pass and then the 50km / 31mile mark at wildcat trail where she’d be crewing me.

i didn’t really sleep the night before as per my usual.  i was just too excited.  i was going to run the route east to west as skurka had.  there are advantages to both directions.  east to west is 400 feet more vertical climbing, as lee pass / la verkin trailhead is 400ft higher than the east entrance / east rim trailhead where i’d start.  i weighed my options and decided for these reasons to run east to west:

1. as skurka points out on his report you get the massive climb out of zion canyon done earlier in the route. 
2. logistically driving from salt lake, stopping at the lee pass finish and wildcat trail then camping and continuing east made more sense and saved time… less driving. 
3. my run with jared had really soured me to the east rim trail.  i wasn’t fit (or ah, i wasn’t as fit as jared), so i had trouble keeping up with him and i just didn’t want to replay that by running west to east.

i started running from the east entrance at 8:15am.  i felt pretty good that morning but still had some residual soreness in my right quad from a run up mt olympus in slc 2 days prior.  probably should have taken it a bit easier on the way down.  i told linda i’d be at the grotto somewhere around 1hr 30min – 1h50m.  it’s just 12 miles and drops you into zion canyon.  there is a good hard semi-paved downhill from weeping rock.  i popped off the trail at the bottom in 1hr 30m having to use the bathroom pretty bad.  after doing some business i realized there was no tp.  with my mhw shorts around my ankles i literally covered my package and shuffled from one bathroom to the other, as horrified tourists looked on.  ha.  i probably ran a 7/min mile to the grotto on the one mile of road on this whole route.  another good reason to run east to west, get that damn pavement out of the way earlier!

i arrived at the grotto bridge to meet linda in 1hr 40m.  for the first section i had run with a nathan elite pack and a 10 oz water bottle.  i met linda at the grotto bridge and took a full nathan #020 running pack with 70 oz of nuun in it.  it felt sooo heavy.  but i had 21 miles until i would see her again and it was the biggest part of the run with the 3,000 – 4,000ft climb up to the west rim.  i ran that about 2 mins faster than my scouting run and was feeling pretty good.  once on the west rim the hr dropped and the smile extended.  stunningly beautiful scenery has a way of transporting me from the pain cave to a happier place. i was running numbers in my head and repeating my mantra for this run ~ “concentrated power of will”.  i knew i’d be close to the 5 hour mark for the first 31 miles where the wildcat meets the connector trail.  if i could make it there in 5hrs i figured i might be able to go sub 8 hours.  linda had hiked out the .9miles and brought me banana and orange slices.  she’s awesome.  when i saw linda the suuntot6c read 5h10m.  2  later i was running out the connector trail.  she met me for the last time just down the road at the hop valley trailhead.  here is where i made a crucial planning mistake.  i left there with one 24oz water bottle and just 4 gels for the next 2 – 2.5hrs and 14 miles. as i ran away i sort of freaked out.  i knew i could probably, if all went well, run under 8hrs.  but i had just set myself up for failure.  i would absolutely run out of water… but i knew i could drink from the likely very very contaminated la verkin river.  i had 4 gels, which wouldn’t be enough for my planned visit to the pain cave up the last climb.  but i didn’t have any electrolytes.. no nuunin my bottle, no backup endurolytes.  ”i am screwed” i thought.

i ran hard across the hop valley, which is probably my favorite section of the entire traverse.  losing the route here is easy and there is a lot of sand to make sure you are going slow enough to look around and behold the beauty.  running east to west meant 400 extra feet of climbing compared to the the other direction.  it also meant i had to finish with a 1,000ft climb in the last 3 miles to my finishline.  i was dreading this last section.  in the hop valley i started to have an ache in my soleus (lower calf).  it was likely due to a bit of dehydration.  i was running hard in the full blazing sun in the hottest part of the day.  i knew i’d have to bury it, and well, bury myself to set the speed record under 8hrs. 

the last 3 miles felt like 20.  i pushed my pace even though i was out of water and fuel.  my mouth was dry and i was cramping.  the wheels had come off and i was dragging axles at this point.  i pushed the last two steep sections hard and when i saw linda i just put my head down and ran the stairs (above photo), fully embracing the pain.  i touched the sign and hit the stop on the suunto before quickly laying down and begging for nuun.

i ran the 48 miles with 10,400ft of gain across zion national park in 7 hours 58 minutes 07 seconds.  with jared and christian’s previous record time of 9h 08mins i had managed to take 1h 10mins off the record.  i’m happy with that.

 

Well done Matt! Glad we could help keep your feet blister free!

Spring sunshine in the Adirondacks.

Lake Tahoe sits at 6,225  feet in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range.  It is a very popular recreation destination and as such faces an array of  environmental threats.  In 1957 the League to Save Lake Tahoe was founded to promote  stewardship of the Tahoe Basin. This long standing organization has members worldwide and serves as a model for conservation groups throughout the country. 

WHO THEY ARE:

“For over 50 years the League to Save Lake Tahoe has advocated for strong protection of the Tahoe Basin’s natural resources and the restoration of its famed clear water. We are a private non-profit membership organization composed of more than 4,000 individuals and families from around the United States and beyond. Through our advocacy and education programs, the League to Save Lake Tahoe promotes important restoration efforts and seeks to prevent further harm to Tahoe’s sensitive watershed.”

MISSION:

“The League to Save Lake Tahoe is dedicated to protecting the environmental quality, scenic beauty, and low-impact recreational opportunities of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Three Facts about the league

• We started protecting the lake in 1957 under the name the Tahoe Improvement and Conservation Association. We changed our name to the League to Save Lake Tahoe in 1965.
• We have members in 43 states, Great Britain, and Germany.
• In the early 1990’s, the League co-founded the Tahoe Transportation and Water Quality Coalition, a group of business and environmental interests who work together to find solutions to transportation problems. The Coalition was recognized with the California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Achievement  Award in 1998. “

 HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Become a member of the League or make a donation
• Check out the 10 things you can do to keep Tahoe blue
• Volunteer with the League
• Make a purchase from the Keep Tahoe Blue store
• Follow the League on Facebook

Check out the League to Save Lake Tahoe website for more information on the organization and issues currently facing the Tahoe watershed and the lake.  If you get the chance, visit Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains. This is a truly amazing area and we are fortunate to have an organization such as this to look after it.  League staff, many thanks for the work you do from all of us here at Teko.

Spring has arrived here at Teko headquarters in Boulder CO.  We are lucky to have relatively mild year round weather but spring in these parts still represents a time of meteorological transition.  For the outdoor inclined this means 80 degree days of mountain biking on newly dried trails immediately followed by a cold, gray day of slushy melting snow spent longing for summer. Early spring can be a restless time.  For a brief respite here are some images of warm weather sock testing missions past:

While spring in the mountain environs can have its challenges it is still an amazing time of year.   The trails may be muddy and the powder runs done for the year there is still a host of things to do and see.  As always it’s about enjoying the present and appreciating the small things.  Put on those Tekos and get your vegetable garden in the ground or take a stroll around the neighborhood and check out the cherry blossoms.  They are really starting to go off!  Happy spring from the Teko crew.

Photography is a powerful tool. Well crafted images have the potential to inspire and call to action.  The tradition of conservation photography in the US and abroad is long standing. It has been shaped by many talented photographers whose images have been crucial in protecting wild places and animals. This edition of Green Organizations features the International League of Conservation Photographers ( ILCP) a group that furthers environmental stewardship through the support of conservation photography.

WHO THEY ARE:

“iLCP is an incorporated non-profit organization. As a project-driven organization, our mission is to translate conservation science into compelling visual messages targeted to specific audiences. We work with leading scientists, policy makers, government leaders and conservation groups to produce the highest-quality documentary images of both the beauty and wonder of the natural world and the challenges facing it.

The unique set of skills, talent and years of field experience spent documenting delicate and complex environmental subjects as well as a real commitment to conserve the landscapes, people and wildlife in the places where they work, is what sets the photographers of the ILCP apart. From poaching to global warming, from habitat loss to cultural erosion, from sustainability to biological corridors, the work of conservation photographers covers the entire range of threats to biodiversity and is indeed a critical component in the conservation toolbox. ”

 MISSION:

“Our mission is to further environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography.  We believe that awe-inspiring photography is a powerful force for the environment, especially when paired with the collaboration of committed scientists, politicians, religious leaders and policy makers. We plan to replace environmental indifference with a new culture of stewardship and passion for our beautiful planet. “

 HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Make a tax deductable donation to help support organization initiatives.
• Support the organization by making a purchase from their shop
• Support iLCP member photographers. These members are crucial to the organization’s success
• Follow the iLCP’s blog for the latest news and field dispatches from their photographers as well as some amazing images.
• Follow the organization on Twitter

The International League of Conservation Photographers website is full of information and great photographs. This organization does a lot to help land and wildlife conservation and plays a vital role in keeping the tradition of conservation photography alive and well. Thanks for your work iLCP !